The Art of War
by BriteLife
Summary: It's Spencer vs. Ashley in an epic showdown for Student Body President!
1. In the News' for 400

The Art of War

1: 'In the News' for 400

"Hey Paula, come join us for a game of Family Jeopardy honey!" My Dad enthusiastically announced. Mom didn't even look up from her Blackberry. This week she fell 2 whole percentage points in the polls, which meant that she wouldn't be joining us for Family Anything for a while. I just sighed and plopped the game back onto the shelf, knowing that without Mom's influence we had no chance of recruiting my two brothers, Glen (The Basketball Star), and Clay (The Smart One) anyway. As for me, well I was Spencer, The Cheerleader, and despite my reputation as a harbinger of all things bitchy, I was actually a pretty good girl, and working very hard to keep my family together despite all the dysfunction that came with your mom being the Governor of Ohio. Did I take after her? Well maybe, seeing as how I did happen to be Leader of the Student Council, and head of the Prom Committee, oh, and I was running for Student Body President too, but I was hoping that's where the similarities ended. After all, Mom had no fashion sense. If it weren't for me and Diego, her stylist, I'm sure she would've never got elected.

Being the daughter of the Governor wasn't all prep school and ponies though, I did have some major responsibilities. My mom was what you'd call a "Fundie", that is to say, one of those religious nuts, or Christian Fundamentalists, who thought the world was only 2008 years old and flat. That meant that I had to work extra hard to stay on the straight and narrow, or at least, avoid being photographed anywhere on the wide and crooked.

"It's okay, we'll just play some other time." Dad chirped, trying to remain chipper despite the fact that his wife hadn't really spoken to him in a year and a half.

"It's time for the evening news." Mom declared brusquely, shutting off her phone and migrating to the living room for the 8:00 newscast, which was the only time the TV ever got changed from it's usual 24/7 channel, the Daystar Network. Now, this was usually the time I excused myself to go upstairs and pretend to do my homework and watch porn, but for some reason this time I hung around.

"Good evening Ohio, this is Diana DeGarza, here with your evening newscast. In the top story of the night rock legend and tabloid fixture Raife Davies has finally decided to retire and with that, has moved his entire family right here to good old Pinkerton. The family arrived this morning via private jet and includes wife, ex-supermodel Christine Vargas, and two daughters, Ashley, age 17, and Kyla, age 15. The Davies Estate has been in construction for over two years now and was the subject of much controversy earlier in the year when Governor Carlin put in an injunction against the building project, claiming it would occupy too much land that needed to be preserved. Davies won the ensuing court battle, and the project was just completed last week." All the color instantly drained out of mom's face as her eyes narrowed and I could feel her wrath through the couch cushions, I can tell you it didn't feel good.

"Davies!" She hissed, fists balling up at her sides, and I quickly slid off the couch and silently headed up the stairs. Raife Davies was her mortal enemy, and had been ever since they'd dated in high school, right before Mom met Dad and got pregnant with Glen. As I closed my door behind me and pulled on some earphones to drown out what I knew would be the impending meltdown, I sincerely hoped that Dad would survive the onslaught. When Mom got mad it meant a lot of Bible thumping, occasional Bible throwing, and more often than not, a ranting diatribe that made you believe in the goodness of swear words all over again. Trust me, once you've heard someone yell "freak" instead of the real F word a bajillion times, you really start to appreciate the value of an uncensored cuss out.

I was just settling down into my English paper that was due Monday, and by that I mean pulling up some good videos, when Mom came crashing through my door. I jumped, then yanked the power cord of my laptop out of the wall, sighing in relief only when I heard the Windows noise that meant it'd shut off.

"H-Hi Mom." I replied, glad that she seemed to be too enraged to have noticed my odd electrical stunt.

"Did you know about this?!" She asked, giving me 'that' look, the one that sent non-God fearing men running, hell, it sent most people running.

"No ma'am." I squeaked, tapping away at my laptop as if there was more than just a black screen up. She advanced on me, nostrils flared, probably to yell at me that I should've been keeping up with my duties and I was already cowering when her cell phone trilled.

"Paula." She said cheerfully in an abrupt about face until she heard the voice on the other side.

"Well Bart, it seems everyone neglected to tell me, so NO I DIDN'T KNOW DAVIES WAS MOVING IN TODAY!! Do you know what this is gonna look like to The Demographic?? It's like I'm just letting Satan himself waltz up and set up shop in our own dang neighborhood!!" I winced at the use of 'dang', then went right back to faux-typing as her gaze wandered back over to me, lowering my head behind the screen and hoping against hope that her top advisor, Bart, would make a better verbal pincushion that I did…he_ was_ squishier after all. After a few seconds of silence she exploded again in a fit of rage and almost-curses, then thankfully left my room. I sighed in relief, plugging my laptop back in and glancing skyward. I was guessing the Big Guy was trying to give me a message, so I just typed my paper instead of partaking in…other activities. See I believed in G-O-D too, in my mind he just wasn't the same dude Mom worshipped is all. My God was cool with the occasional skin flick in lieu of academia, I was a straight A student after all.

Some time later Glen hopped into my room, sweaty and disgusting from practicing in the driveway, and gave me a look. Clay followed surreptitiously behind him, looking around before squeezing into the doorway.

"What set her off?" He whispered, jerking his thumb in the direction of Mom's office.

"Haven't seen her this mad since Dick Linolli beat her for School Ward Five, and that was a while ago." Glen added, spinning the ball around in his hands. We all knew to be alert when she was in 'Righteous Anger' mode, because it was usually followed by 'Righteous Justice' mode, and that meant that we'd all have to make sure not to slip up lest we be disowned and lose the inheritance, now that would really suck. I, for one, valued my 3 series Beamer and would like to hold onto it for a little while longer. We all gave each other another look and put our fists into the trademark 'Carlin Circle'.

"We'll cover for each other alright?" Glen whispered and we all nodded, pounded on it, then the boys slipped away to their rooms and I took to ironing my uniform for school tomorrow before saying my prayers (extra loudly and with my door open), then slipping into bed. This was already starting out as one hell of an election year…

_tbc_

_r&r _


	2. Heartbreaker

The Art of War

2: Heartbreaker, You Get the Best of Me

"I should've known Right. From. The. Start. You'd go and break my heaaarrrtt!!" I sang into my hairbrush as sunshine spilled into my room through the windows, entirely naked except for a pair of socks. Mom was in the City, hard at work, and Dad was following her around and getting her coffee, you know, doing Dad things. I had half an hour with which to get to school and I intended to enjoy every second of it. I was so made for high school, I loved every aspect of it. From ruining some poor freshman's hopes and dreams with just a look, to screaming along the sidelines in a mini and pom poms and trying to avoid all your friend's perverted dads during football games. Ahh, it was bliss. And senior year was set to be the greatest of all, with all of the dances to look forward to, and the pep rallies, all the glorious pep rallies!

"She wanna pillow fight in the middle of the night, she wanna drive my Benz wit' five of her friends…" I mumbled my way through some of the verse as I pulled on my uniform, crisp and clean from last nights ironing, with the fabric obstructing my rapping skills for a moment. I tackled my hair and the rest of the bars next.

"She want love in the jacuzzi, rub up in the movies, access to the old crib, keys to the newbie…" As soon as that was done I had to disappear into the bathroom to brush my teeth and when I came back the radio had changed to a different tune that I didn't know but hummed along to anyway as I grabbed my backpack. I double-checked that all my homework was present and accounted for, then grabbed my car keys and bounced down the stairs.

I was all smiles and sunshine even as I headed straight into morning traffic, pulling into Starbucks and getting my usual order of a tall white chocolate mocha iced coffee, then zooming off to Pinkerton Prep without a care in the world.

"Spencer! Spencer!" Lackey #1, also known as Sara Brown, materialized at the side of my locker as I jovially inserted my books, grabbing the ones I'd need, and I turned to her brightly.

"What's up?" I asked and she breathlessly looked around, then leaned in.

"_She's here." _Sara whispered and I just stared at her, wondering why she was giving me a 'the apocalypse is upon us' look.

"Well, I'm gonna get to homeroom, you can explain later." I announced, then skipped off to class, passing a few beaming portraits of myself pasted along the hall walls with my slogan, "Pinkerton Prep Tested, Governor Carlin Approved" in an effigy of the KIX cereal logo. It was great, I really had to remember to send my graphic designers a gift basket or something. I smiled back at myself before swinging through the door and into my lavishly decorated homeroom. Squishy rust colored leather armchairs split space with a couple of couches and a few small desks and tables, the BOSE speakers hidden cleverly in the ceiling spouting mellow alternative music and a coffee machine was parked in the back next to a microwave. Breakfast was very important here at Pinkerton Prep.

"Spencer!" Lackey #2, a.k.a. Jordan Avery, exclaimed, skidding to a stop in front of me as I headed toward my usual spot in the big armchair by the fireplace.

"Yes Jordan?" I asked pleasantly, again taking in the 'end of the world as we know it' expression.

"Ms. Carlin, Ms. Avery, please take your seats." Mr. Cunningham announced as he waltzed in, roll call in one hand and a coffee roll in the other.

"Yes sir." I replied brightly before Jordan could interject. She didn't have time to get another word in as he took attendance, then went through the morning announcements, which sent me into overdrive mode as I realized that there was a meeting for all those running for student office after school. Yanking out my iphone I promptly sent Coach Lewis an email informing her that I'd be late to cheerleading practice, then one to Mom telling her that I'd be a little late getting home. The bell rang a minute or two later, with Jordan still desperately attempting to get my attention as I fended off the flocks of football players and hockey studs trying to woo me that morning. Using my typical Bait and Switch technique I kindly informed the boys that I was headed to English class, then promptly turned the corner when they weren't looking and started for Spanish V instead.

I took my usual seat, right in the front, disposing of my iced coffee because it had become more ice than coffee, and pulled out my homework. Mr. Lopez walked in and class commenced. All seemed to be going normally, well except for my minions odd behavior, and I was starting to question their sanity when a student walked in fifteen minutes late and my world flipped over.

The sound of shoes that were decidedly not the Pinkerton issue loafers reached my ears and I looked up to find hovering above me a veritable heavenly angel, (well, maybe a Vicky's Secret Angel). She had butchered her uniform to the point that it was barely recognizable. She wore only the white button up shirt, skipping the charcoal colored cardigan bearing the school crest that we all wore, she'd tied her tie around her neck instead of her collar, her skirt being up way higher than the two inches above your knee limit. She'd skipped the knee high socks and gone straight for a pair of Chuck Taylor's instead, a studded pyramid belt looped loosely around her tiny waist. I took in all of this, slack jawed, then looked up at her face and couldn't really talk anymore.

"…d-duh...d-d-duh…" I stammered, trying to get a word out. A stern warning perhaps, as it was my job as future class president to keep the ruffians in line and following the rules, but my tongue seemed to have gotten tangled up around itself.

"You're in my seat." She announced in a gravelly tone that further hindered my world renowned ability to speak and I just resorted to looking down. Had I sat in the wrong seat? Had I been so distracted by Sara and Jordan's weirdness that I'd accidentally abandoned my usual perfect position to seat in some other, less worthy, seat? Mr. Lopez cleared his throat then and pulled out the seating matrix.

"Um…yes, sorry Ms. Carlin, Ms. Davies has an assigned seat, by Dean Carlisle himself."

"O-oh, ok-kay…" I replied, getting up quickly and promptly knocking all my books and papers over. Ten jocks immediately rushed to my aid as I gathered my things and hurriedly took the seat next to the new girl, the only other seat open in the front of the class. I buried myself in my textbook instantly to avoid staring, and because my face was bright red, and something ticked the back of my mind. There was something about her name…something I should know but couldn't quite put together at the moment.

"Class, please welcome Ashley, our new student." No one bothered to clap or even say anything and I chanced a glance over the protective edge of Paso el Paso to see that she just rolled her eyes in response, twirling her pen around in her hand slowly.

You see, everyone in Pinkerton knew everybody that lived here, so outsiders weren't generally welcomed, especially not outsiders in mini-skirts with perfect legs and deep brown eyes…I shook myself mentally and went back to my textbook, hoping it wouldn't turn all wavy and useless since I was drooling into it.

I felt that tingling in the back of my mind again as Mr. Lopez went back to the lecture he was in the middle of about slang and improper conjugation. Ashley…Ashley…I rolled the name around in my mind, liking the feel of it, and noticing that somehow it seemed to fit her perfectly. Maybe it was the eyeliner, or the red streak in her mocha colored curls…or the pout…yup, it had to be the pout.

I was busy sneaking glances when Cameron Penn leaned over to make small talk with me. Boys…oh right, yeah, I was supposed to like them…

"So, you girls ready for the game on Friday?" He asked and I nodded absently, giving him an equally blank smile.

"'Cause we're gonna whup Akron Academy's ass." He announced in his best macho tone and I was saved from drowning in a flood of testosterone when the bell rang.

"Spencer, Ashley, if you could both please stay a moment." Mr. Lopez announced as the rest of the class filed out, all glaring and whispering in Ashley's general direction. I jumped up, and since all of my stuff was now securely in my Pinkerton Prep messenger bag, it didn't go anywhere.

"Yes sir?" I asked instantly, appearing in front of his desk. Ashley meanwhile took her sweet time, which was an accomplishment considering she didn't have a backpack and only held onto a pen.

"What?" She asked in an extremely bored, and sexy, tone.

"Spencer, could you please show Ashley around the school? I think you would set a good example as to how things are done here at Pinkerton."

"Yes sir!" I replied even as she turned and started toward the door.

"Hey, wait up!" I followed after her as Mr. Lopez just shook his head and watched her go. She whirled on me as soon as I got to her.

"Look, Svetlana--"

"uh…it's Spencer." I corrected and she just continued as if I hadn't said anything.

"I'm a big girl okay? I can handle myself. Now just skip along to class alright? I'm sure I'll find my way there if I wanna go." She replied, then she was gone, just like that. Down the hallway and out of my sight in a seconds time. I just stared after her retreating form, then my phone went off, reminding me that I had one minute and counting to get across the building to Calculus and I had to jet off, wondering who exactly she was…

_tbc_

_r&r_


	3. Say It Ain't So

The Art of War

3: Say It Ain't So

"What're we going to do?"

"Nothing, we'll just wait for her to get expelled, it'll happen eventually."

"But, what about Spencer--"

"Yeah, what about me?" I asked, taking a seat at my golden lunch table, interrupting the deep seated conversation my assistants happened to be involved in.

"Uh…Spence, didn't see you there!" Shannon Smith exclaimed, handing me my bottle of water and gigantor M&M's cookie that usually consisted of my afternoon nourishment. The water kept me in shape and the sugar kept me going until I could get home to Pierre and his excellent cooking.

"We were just…uh…discussing our plans to dispose of the new girl." Sara replied. My brows furrowed.

"And why's that? She's not all that bad." I said and my minions all looked at each other, then back at me, sighing.

"Look Spencer, you're a good person, and I think that…how shall I say…clouds your judgment sometimes." Madison Duarte, my fellow co-captain of the Cheerleading Squad said silkily, closing her compact with a snap. I instantly discounted the 'you're a good person' comment, I had ruined my fair share of social lives here at Pinkerton Prep, and jumped right back in at Ashley's defense.

"How about we just give her a chance? Dean Carlisle will straighten her out in no time."

"Spencer, girls like that don't "straighten out", if you get my drift." I just shook my head, a little confused and a lot worried that maybe they'd drive her out, and how was I supposed to continue my unrequited love-fest then?

"Yeah, just wait Spence, she'll come after you soon enough. And then it's gonna be a lot harder to get rid of her. She'll be all entrenched and stuff." Jordan added sagely. I choked on my cookie a little, neglecting to mention that I actually wanted her to come after me, like, now…in a broom closet…between classes…when no one was looking…

"So, uh, got a meeting today after school. You'll take care of the Squad until I get there right Madison?" I squeaked, sure my face was turning red from my afternoon imaginings.

"Sure _chica_, just remember what we said." Madison replied and with that the lunch bell rang, sending us all off to our classes yet again. For the rest of the day I kept up "Ashley-Watch", taking in a quick inventory of students every time I entered a room, then spending the rest of the time staring at the door and hoping she'd walk in, late and beautiful…

Needless to say it didn't happen, and once the final bell rang I found myself trudging off to the student council room for our election meeting, more than a little depressed.

"Ah, well if it isn't our star campaigner." Mr. Hanley, the kindly old adviser to the Dean announced as I walked in, early as usual.

"Good afternoon Mr. Hanley." I greeted without any enthusiasm, taking the bulletin he was handing out and falling heavily into a seat.

"What's wrong Ms. Carlin? You don't seem yourself." He asked just as the rest of the campaigners walked in.

"I'm fine." I muttered and he nodded, turning his attention to the rest of the loafers, who'd yet to put up any posters or anything while I already had my campaign website up and running and posters all over the school.

"It's not enough in this competition just to be on time. You need to get everything moving as quickly as possible if you intend to win. Preparation is key." He warned warmly as he plugged in the projector and pulled up the latest polls.

"Now here's what the race looks like so far, and for some of you, its not looking good." He announced much to the dismay of most of the room. We had these little meetings from time to time, mostly to spur us forward and keep us on our game, as well as knowing how the school population felt.

"Now Teresa, Scott is a few points ahead of you in the Secretarial Race, and that means you need to step it up." Scott put on a smug look as Teresa lowered her head, immediately whipping out her phone and texting at light speed.

"Blair and Nady, you two are just about tied for first right now, and Aaron you're bringing up the rear in the Treasurer's Race." Cue the gladiatorial looks of death from Blair and Nady to each other while Aaron just sullenly sat in the corner.

"In the Vice Presidential standings, Claudio, you're ahead of Phoebe by only half a point, you both did well getting yourselves prepared but be ready for the debate coming up next week, it'll definitely decide the frontrunner. Erik, I don't know what to tell you but you've got to find a platform that works because you're obviously not connecting with your classmates." Mr. Hanley handed them the information regarding the first of the two Vice Presidential debates and I sighed, resting my chin on a fist and watching the last pie chard come up. Even the sight of the blue slice entitled "Carlin Campaign" taking up the entire pie couldn't cheer me up.

"The Presidential Race is looking…well, pretty much set." Mr. Hanley declared with a chuckle, then was interrupted by the door swinging open. All of us shielded our eyes against the white hot light of the projector, attempting to see through the bright curtain of color to the person behind it but failing. Mr. Hanley instantly jumped up and turned it off, turning on the light instead, and the entire classroom gasped, except me, I just grinned stupidly.

Ashley stood there, holding up a white piece of paper and looking around the cavernous theater style lecture room warily. She raised an eyebrow as Mr. Hanley approached her.

"…this the election meeting?" She asked in that dark voice of hers and I forced myself to sit up straight, wiping the goofy grin off of my face and attempting to look serious.

"Why yes, can I help you miss?" Ash just handed over the paper and Mr. Hanley raised his glasses from his suit pocket to his eyes, looking over it slowly. He appeared to read it over several times, then cleared his throat as she inspected a nail, one hand on her hip and appearing to be as disinterested in us as we were interested in her.

"Well, per Dean Carlisle's instructions, it looks like we have a new entry into the race. Miss Ashley Davies will be entering the Presidential Race as of this afternoon!" He announced and my heart did a somersault in my chest, making me cough as I tried to process. What?!! There couldn't possibly be another entry!! Primaries were next week! Scott responded by standing up in his seat and looking around the room, to which Ashley just gave him a look was clearly questioning his sanity.

"I don't see any cameras…I mean, this is for an episode of MADE right?" He asked non-jokingly and Mr. Hanley just replaced his glasses calmly, though his eyes were sparkling. He sure did love a good wrench thrown into a political campaign. Stepping back up to the projector he bent over his laptop and pulled up the presidential pie again, causing my fists to ball up at my sides angrily as he gingerly added a new color. It was a tiny little red sliver that he slowly typed "Davies Campaign" into and suddenly it clicked in my head, that tickling sensation that had been there all day.

"Davies!" I hissed.

_tbc_

_r&r_


	4. Challengers

The Art of War

4: Challengers, Step Into the Ring

"How could this happen?!" I lamented into my cell phone, having called up Madison right after the meeting.

"I don't…know Spencer…but we're…in the middle…of practice…so…" She panted and I hung up irritably, then threw my phone into my backpack as hard as I could. It didn't make me feel any better. I knew I recognized that damn name! Davies! Ashley Davies, the devil spawn herself, was running against me for student body president. And not only that, I was madly in love with her!

"Sorry Spencer." Nady offered her condolences, patting me on the back before disappearing along with the rest of the campaigners. Ashley hadn't even stuck around long enough for Mr. Hanley to wish her good luck, just took her bulletin and scrammed. I eventually stood up, grabbing my stuff and starting to walk out of the room when Mr. Hanley stopped me.

"Come on Ms. Carlin, this should give you even more reason to want to win hmm?" He said and I just glared at him as if this was somehow his fault, then immediately changed my tone.

"You're right, and I. Will. Win." I announced fiercely, then stomped out of the room. Yanking my phone back out I proceeded to text all of my staff immediately.

"MEETING AT HQ, 4:30, DON'T BE LATE OR ELSE." Then I grabbed my cheerleading stuff, changed quickly, and beat my Squad into the ground for the next hour.

"_Dios mio_ Spencer, our first competition isn't until next month, what the hell was that for?" Madison asked as we hit the locker room afterward, her grumbling being echoed by the entire squad (not loud enough for me to hear of course).

"Preparation is key." I replied, repeating Mr. Hanley's phrase even as I aggressively toweled dry my hair.

"There's preparation, and then there's overkill _chica_." Madison continued unhappily until I silenced her with a look, then relented a little.

"Practice is canceled tomorrow." I announced while I pulled my clothes on and the room promptly erupted in cheers and applause.

"Shut it before I change my mind." I bit out and the girls stopped celebrating for a second, but cheerily exited the locker room anyway.

"Geez, this Davies thing is really getting to you huh?" Madison asked, pulling her shirt on, and I tried to keep my tone neutral.

"Not at all, I'll crush her so bad in the election that nobody'll remember her name for the rest of her Ohio existence." I announced faux-assuredly and Madison just nodded, then bade me goodbye and sashayed off into the distance. As soon as she was gone I deflated, leaning back against one of the locker room walls.

Why did she have to be a Davies? Why couldn't she be anything else? Hell, I'd even take a Spears, but a Davies? We had no choice but to be mortal enemies forever, it was just how the world worked. The sun rose in the east, the moon waned and waxed, and the Carlins hated the Davies. Only I didn't feel the way I probably should have…

"Assemble!" I declared to my group of loyal campaign advisors and workers as they poured into my room at 4:30 on the nose. They took their seats in the plastic fold out chairs I'd set up in the center of my gigantic room, nursing homemade lemonades (courtesy of me), and holding onto clipboards and notebooks.

"First off, I regret to inform you all that it looks like we've got competition." I announced, then launched into a ranting diatribe about Ashley and Mr. Hanley and that damn Dean Carlisle before finally settling back down and taking a seat in the armchair in the front, releasing a breath and pinching the bridge of my nose just like my mother did when she was aggravated. My staff quivered before me.

"Ideas ideas, come on everyone." I prompted, sitting up again.

"W-Well, you can bet she's gonna try and get all the "_outcasts_" on her side. You've got to undercut her demographic before she can get to them." Tony, my political analyst, announced and I nodded.

"True, any thoughts on how this can be accomplished?" I asked, my mind already going a million miles an hour as I tried to answer my own question.

"How about we do it the grassroots way? Show 'em you're not just some superhuman political figure. What if we just show up to all their clubs and stuff? Act like we care." Abby replied and I placed my hands together, a smile starting to creep in at the corners of my mouth. Even if I didn't exactly want to, my Carlin blood would not allow me to not crush the spawn of Davies!

"Sounds great!" I declared.

They set off implementing the plan at once, compiling a list of the most loser frequented clubs, then a chart outlining the times and dates of each one up to the election in November. Meanwhile, I made the necessary preparations, practicing my sincere look, and brushing up on my geek terms via Glen, who had an extensive knowledge of video game vocabulary. I used Clay for world issues and such, like what country was at war with who over what ect. ect. Overall I thought I was pretty well prepared and as I ironed my clothes for school the next day I began to feel that biting edge of competition, the hot-blooded ferocity of war, and wondered if this is how Mom felt during election time.

I was up early the next morning and I should've known what I was in for as I left the house. Word, as it always did at Pinkerton Prep, spread like wildfire and as I pulled in throngs of people enveloped me.

"Who does she think she is?"

"She doesn't have a shot, right Spencer?"

"Nobody's gonna vote for her anyway!" And variations of the same responses were thrown my way as I attempted to part the sea of bodies and get to my locker, offering up polite replies, like "You never know," or "Anything can happen" and continuing on my way. I had a plan after all. The morning bell finally rang, sending the ignorant masses off to their respective homerooms, being replaced by Sara, Jordan, Shannon, and Madison. I was in the middle of detailing my new campaign strategy to them when none other that Ashley herself walked up to me.

"Hey, Svetlana--" She started only to have four cheerleaders in her face instantly, blocking her progress. She just rolled her eyes and held her hands up.

"I come in peace, call off your attack dogs." She declared lazily and I warily waved them away, telling them I'd meet them in class. I needed to be able to size up my opponent one on one. They reluctantly stalked off, but not without glaring at Ash the entire way.

"Hope they're housebroken." Ashley said and I had to work to keep a smile off my face, trying for my very best 'intense competitor' look and staring her down.

"What do you want?" I asked coolly, retrieving my books as slow as I believably could.

"…okay, look, Carlisle's making me do this stupid election thing, I'm not even gonna try so don't get all bent out of shape about it alright?" She said in a low voice, leaning forward, and I cleared my throat, taking a step back and praying my face didn't flush.

"Why's that?" I blurted before thinking, completely taken aback, and she just sighed.

"It's either this or reform school in England, I have to do whatever he says." She replied, fiddling with her tie. I finally allowed myself to relax a little, crisis averted.

"Well I'm glad you pulled out, 'cause you would've lost anyway." I declared and I knew I'd said the wrong thing as soon as I finished saying it. Her eyes instantly narrowed and she took another step forward.

"Oh really?"

"R-Really." I countered weakly and she brought her face to within inches of mine, taking hold of my chin and forcing me to look at her.

"See you at the debate then." She whispered dangerously, then whirled around and took off down the hall, leaving me standing there and trying to catch my breath…

_tbc_

_r&r_


	5. The Hidden Army

The Art of War

5: The Hidden Army

As soon as she was gone I groaned and banged my head against my locker. Damn, that was remarkably stupid of me…but still, a part of me wasn't all that disappointed, it was the same part that was willing to resort to visiting the sordid sweaty dungeons of the D&D club in order to rack up some votes, the bloodthirsty Republican part. But then there was the part of me that wanted to be chained up in that dungeon, minus the nerds and plus Ashley with a whip…

I banged my head against the locker again to clear my mind. I really needed to stop being a horny seventeen year old; it could really hinder my political progress. The bell rang then, sending me rushing off to Spanish before everyone else could pour out of their homerooms and chase me down. I sat down in my usual seat, then had to jump right back up again as I remembered that it was no longer mine to sit in, instead it belonged to that devil spawn. Righteously, I dropped into my new seat and whipped out my homework, pretending to be engrossed in the warm up activity even as I eagerly anticipated her arrival.

Not surprisingly, she was ten minutes late, and as a result got assigned an extra homework assignment by Mr. Lopez, who looked none too pleased with her.

"May I ask why you're so late to class this morning?" He asked acerbically, handing her the extra assignment, which looked like a doozy. She looked up at him ever so innocently.

"Got lost on my way here, this is a big school after all." She answered, all doe eyes and fake sincerity. My eyes narrowed as I realized that she had to be up to something.

"Well didn't Ms. Carlin show you around yesterday after class?" He asked suspiciously and my jaw dropped as she shook her head and answered sadly.

"No, she said she was too busy."

"What?!" I started to say but Mr. Lopez stopped me by handing me the extra homework instead of Ashley.

"It would do you well to make some time in your schedule, Ms. Carlin, for people other than yourself." He said and that was the end of it as the class went deathly silent, I was left gaping as Ash smirked when he wouldn't let me get another word in. I had never been reprimanded in class, ever, in my entire school career, and to my embarrassment my eyes started to burn. I glared at Ashley as fiercely as I could muster and her smirk died instantly. I buried myself in my book again, angrily wiping the tears away with a wrist and silently vowing revenge on that damn Davies if it was the last thing I did.

I worked diligently for the rest of class, completing both the in-class assignment and the extra work as my pencil scratched lividly along the page, my anger having been transferred to it.

As soon as the bell rang I jolted up, stuffing my things in my bag none too precisely, and moving to storm out of the room, but not before bending in front of Ashley's desk.

"Two can play at this game." I whispered intensely. "I hope you like reform school." Her eyes widened for a second as she caught and held my gaze, then narrowed again.

"Do your worst Carlin." She replied as I whirled and left.

"What club are we hitting first?" I demanded as I dropped into a seat at lunch, ignoring my food and settling right into Presidential Hopeful mode.

"Well I thought we'd start with the smallest first, in the traditional grassroots way." Abby said, switching places with Sara for a moment.

"And what club is that?" I asked irritably, grabbing my water and angrily unscrewing the cap.

"GSA." My heart flipped over again and I just drowned its flailing with a ton of water, then calmly attempted to nod.

"Okay, what room and what time?"

"Today in the Little Theater, right after school." I was suddenly glad that I'd canceled practice yesterday, wanting to get a leg up on my demonic (but damn sexy) competition.

"I'll be there." I declared, already starting to prepare a "Spencer Carlin is for Everyone" type of speech as my friends looked around warily.

"You sure you wanna go alone?" Tony asked warily. "What if they like, attack you or something?" I waved his typical homophobic worries away, replying.

"I have to go alone, it wouldn't look sincere if I rolled in with my entire campaign staff would it?" They nodded, but still all told me to be careful as I embarked on my journey through the seedy underbelly of the school. If only they all knew the truth, that I actually put the G in GSA…

I spent the rest of the day clock watching, eagerly anticipating my trip into the underworld. I was all prepared with the latest stats, numbers, and top gay issues ready to go. It may only have been a couple of people but that way I would be a couple of people closer to a landslide victory, as was my goal. I would crush Davies, as my pedigree required that I do. When the final bell rang I was the first person out of class and into my locker, jovially tossing my books in, then slinging my bag over my shoulder and determinedly heading for the bottom floor of Pinkerton Prep, where all the rejects were kept hidden away, shielded from the light of day.

"Achoo!!" Instantly I sneezed as my feet carried me down the dust covered basement stairs, armies of dust bunnies rising up to stop my journey in its tracks. In retaliation I grabbed my backpack, holding it in front of my face as I passed through the deadly cloud of dirt, lint and other unmentionables. Once I'd escaped from the gray, creaky stairwell I found myself in a never ending hallway, only one dingy light barely hanging from a wire on the ceiling, illuminating the threadbare red carpet spread all along the infinite space. Clutching my bag to me I continued walking forward, the gray walls completely empty, no signs of life to be found that could point me in the direction of the mythical Little Theater.

There were cracked and splintering doors all up and down the hall, but they were all locked and chained with the most diabolical looking of devices. As I heard a cackling laugh somewhere in the distance I jumped, suddenly regretting my decision to come alone. I walked for what seemed like hours, sure I was turning gray from the continuing onslaught of dust, the linty little soldiers jumping out of every corner to settle on my once bright clothes and morale. When it seemed like I could no longer go on I finally saw a beacon of light in the distance, a rainbow colored flag waving valiantly in the breeze a few yards ahead of me, seeming to be covering some sort of black hole in the Pinkerton cosmos.

My resolve strengthened, I removed my bag from its protective position and slung it back over my shoulder, then ran my fingers through my hair and fixed my uniform, ready to take anything on. I approached the huge flag, gingerly reaching out and parting it a few inches to take in the scene on the other side. Instantly I gasped at the sight of what must've been at least 40 students laughing and comfortably reclining in the deteriorating couches and armchairs in the room (to give you a point of reference, my graduating class is set to be 60 students). Intrigued, I took a step forward, then released a small scream as my foot missed the nearly imperceptible step that was there and I tumbled through the flag, rolling into the room at top speed.

It got quiet instantly as I struggled to untangle myself from the flag, my face as bright red as the top color on it. Eventually somebody got up and helped me out of it, then as I stood up an audible murmur resounded through the room. I turned around to thank whoever it was that had helped me and found myself staring into deep brown eyes.

"You." Ashley breathed.

_tbc_

_r&r_


	6. Like Mother, Like Daughter

The Art of War

6: Like Mother, Like Daughter. Like, Ouch...

"You." I responded, jerking my arm out of her grasp and glaring instantly. We stared each other down for a moment, lightning bolts shooting from our eyes to duel in the small amount of space between our faces. The moment of pure hatred/lust (at least, on my part) was broken by a short cheery girl with muddy green hair and pants that jingled with multitudes of chains as she walked.

"…Spencer Carlin?" She announced incredulously and I whipped toward her, quickly extending a hand that she reverently took.

"Why yes, nice to meet you…err…" I started and she finished excitedly for me,

"Jill!"

"Yes, nice to meet you Jill--"

"What are you doing here?" Ashley asked, interrupting my little meet and greet by folding her arms over her lovely chest and resuming glaring at me.

"I came…to join the club!" I announced gallantly and the up to present silent audience went back to murmuring, some people even standing up to stare at me.

"R-really?!" Jill squeaked and I nodded, giving Ashley a smug look that quickly dissipated as I took in her expression. She looked livid, but also somehow deeply disappointed.

"Where's Ashton Kutcher?" A shaggy haired skater boy asked, twirling around and around to look for a celebrity that was never going to show up.

"…the better question is, where're the rest of your campaign cronies?" A tall young man with perfectly coiffed blond hair and a wardrobe that would make Justin Timberlake proud announced, to which Ashley instantly nodded.

"Yeah. Where are they?" She echoed dangerously, opening her mouth to continue when a supermodel looking girl of mixed origins and clear beauty added her smooth, slightly accented voice to the mix.

"How about you guys lay off and give her a chance hmm? Isn't this club supposed to be about inclusion? And hey, it'll take our new member count to two in one day!"

"You can't be serious Shea--" The blond cynic started to reply but I stopped him by holding my hands up.

"Look, no cronies. I am here joining of my own will and volition." I declared as sincerely as I could muster, looking around the room and seeing all the votes, all the glorious votes!

"See? Why don't we just give her the benefit of the doubt? And besides, if we say no to her then we have to say no to Ashley too, in case you guys are forgetting, she's running as well." The exotic girl they called Shea pointed out.

"Only 'cause Carlisle is making me!" Ashley argued, her fists balling up at her sides as I stared. This was the most emotional I'd seen her in her already hectic 48 hour Pinkerton Prep career. Shea just shrugged, turning and regarding someone hidden in the audience.

"I guess we should just leave it to our President then." She said and a figure that had previously had been hidden in darkness stood up, the room instantly reverting back to silence. The person was of medium height, with almost chin length dark wavy hair, and cloaked from head to foot in a solid black wool trench coat, only a pair of silver motorcycle boots poking out from the hem. The person's face was perfectly fragile and pretty but sharp and masculine at the same time, a pair of spectacularly light brown eyes peeking out from a set of eyebrows that could've been anyone's. A ring had been poked through each end of the President's lips, facing towards each other from across the voluptuous space.

"What say you Riley?" The willowy blond asked, sweeping his arm towards me and Ashley with a flourish. I swear you could hear the dust settling into the creases of the room it was that quiet.

"They stay." Riley announced in a clear, sweet voice that reverberated through the room, a deep undertow running through it like a powerful stream in the middle of a tiny forest.

"Then it's decided." Shea said triumphantly, bouncing back up to us. "And I think some introductions are in order. I'm Shea DeSouza, the international woman of mystery!" I merely grinned happily, seeing myself ever closer to victory even as Ashley's scowl deepened to the point where I wondered if she'd ever be able to smile again.

"This Shakespearean reject is Bryce English, and don't worry, PMSing is his natural state." She continued by pointing to the blond, who merely rolled his eyes and heaved a monumental sigh, then bowed slowly.

"Pleased to make your acquaintance Princess Carlin." He announced in a truly bored tone, straightening and then shaking my hand lazily, kissing my fingertips lightly before returning it to me.

"And over here we have Ty Sanchez, future X-Game champion and current weed connoisseur."

"Hey." The shaggy haired kid greeted and introductions continued that way until we'd gone through the entire club, by which point it was time for the meeting to be adjourned. I had to admit I was surprised by the caliber of the club members but then I remembered that I wasn't exactly the most eligible GSA candidate either and just took them all for who they were. I actually found myself extremely entertained by the diverse bunch and realized that their company was a lot more interesting than say, Sara, Shannon, Jordan, and Madison's. But then I remembered my goal, and it all swung right back into focus.

"See you next Tuesday Spencer?" Jill asked, positively beaming as they all began to stream out of the dusty room.

"Wouldn't miss it!" I replied cheerily, having to hold back my desire to break into maniacal laughter at how perfectly this had turned out. Everyone eventually bade me goodbye and disappeared into the distance of the Infinite Hallway, everyone except Ashley, who stood there and glared at me until we were alone.

"…what?" I finally asked after a few minutes and she just snorted lightly, shaking her head and taking a few steps toward me.

"…they might not be able to see through you but I can." She said. "You're just here for the stupid votes, like _you_ have any idea what its like to be gay..." My jaw snapped shut as my heart attempted to reply, my mind being the smarter organ, and trapping my voice somewhere in the back of my throat.

"…I must be really stupid because for some reason, I thought you'd be different. But you're not, you're just like your mother Carlin." She spat, giving me a disgusted look before storming out of the room, leaving me standing there completely bewildered and crushed…

KNOCK! KNOCK! I quickly x-ed out the website I was on, my heart jumping into my throat as my mother walked into my room later that night. I frowned involuntarily, not happy at the fact that she was interrupting my drowning of my sorrows in cheap porn, then forced my face into a smile as she grinned cheerily at me. It was the happiest I'd seen her in weeks…I wondered if her numbers had gone up.

"Spencer honey," She gushed, taking a seat on my bed. "I've heard some great news from good Mr. Hanley, it seems that you happen to have a commanding lead over your "competition", at school!" I merely gritted my teeth and grinned, waiting for the punch line, and sure enough it came a few seconds later as she laughed heartily,

"That poor Davies girl, does she actually think she stands a chance against _my _daughter?"

"Yeah Mom, what is she thinking?" I mumbled as confidently as I could fake it, suddenly hating myself and everything about me. Was I really just like her? I couldn't possibly be, I mean, I could dress myself and couldn't quote Bible verses on command, and…and I couldn't cook, or sleep with men, or condemn large groups of people just to win support…I wasn't like her at all? Right? Right…?

"Now dear, I want you to know that I support you wholeheartedly in your endeavor. From now on you have full access to my campaign staff hmm? The graphic designers, the pollsters, even my legal team if you so desire or need it!"

"Thanks Mom!" I replied, using up all of my remaining phoniness to utter that statement and she merely grinned, hugging me tightly before running off again to answer her ringing cell phone.

I got up slowly, shutting my door and my computer off, then curling sadly up in bed, somehow not in the mood anymore…

_tbc_

_r&r_


	7. A Rose By Any Other Name

The Art of War

7: A Rose By Any Other Name…

The rest of the week passed in a blur of cheerleading practices and pats on the back from the student body, all of whom were sticking by me in lieu of 'Davies-Gate' but for some reason I just couldn't share their happiness…the way she'd looked at me…

"_You're just like your mother Carlin," _ran through my head every few moments, dimming my eyes and killing my smiles as they were born. The weekend was just as depressing, so I just slept. I fell asleep on Friday night and woke up Monday morning, which saw me skip my Starbucks run for the first time in two years as I just headed straight for Pinkerton Prep, eager to get the day over and done with. Of course, fate and the campaign schedule had other plans for me when Mr. Cunningham announced in homeroom that an election meeting was taking place that afternoon. The bell rang soon after and I pasted my 'everything's fine' smile in place, getting ready to face the day.

It passed dreadfully slowly as I hadn't even been able to daydream about Ashley since that GSA meeting, let alone look at her. So needless to say I had nothing to do but focus on my schoolwork, which was tedious and boring as all hell. Finally, I was sitting in front of Mr. Hanley again, the rest of the candidates spread out nervously around me. Ashley was nowhere to be found but I forced myself not to care.

"Good afternoon campaigners, I know you're all waiting on the latest poll results but I'm afraid you're not going to get them until next week." Indignant muttering broke out between the all of the candidates except me, as I didn't need to see my chart to know my standings, and I just drooped my head onto my desk as Mr. Hanley tried to stop the flood of voices.

"Listen up!" He said sharply, holding up a hand for silence. "This meeting is to discuss the upcoming Vice Presidential debate tonight, which it would behoove all of you other candidates to attend and indeed, a few of you must." That got their attention and even mine with the room going silent as Mr. Hanley opened his mouth to continue, but was beat out by Ashley Davies walking in a few minutes late and minus a pass from Dean Carlisle.

"You're late." Scott snapped as soon as she walked in and she merely gave him a look that could freeze hell over and he shut up instantly. Mr. Hanley just continued as if nothing had happened.

"Now, Claudio, Phoebe, and Erik, you all have to be present in the auditorium at 5:00 at the latest in order to have time to prepare and such. The debate will start promptly 6:00 and end at 7:30 exactly. It will be mediated by representatives from both the Young Democrats Club and the New Conservatives Club and I expect it will set the tone for the rest of your campaigns so be sure to deliver." He gave each of them a severe look in turn, then turned to me and Ashley.

"As Presidential Candidates, both of you are required to volunteer at the event, both for the setting-up and taking down of the stage."

"Hell no." Ashley announced, folding her arms over her chest and glaring at him.

"You agreed to this when you agreed to run. You can't pull out now Ms. Davies" Mr. Hanley pointed out gently as the girl fumed. I just sat there quietly as he continued.

"You're required to be here by 5:00 at the latest as well, preferably earlier. There is much work to be done." Pulling out my iphone silently I sent my mother an e-mail and then Diego, her personal stylist, requesting that he bring me a suitable outfit for the event seeing as how I'd be going to it right after cheerleading practice. As Mr. Hanley went back to detailing the importance of the debate I began to feel something stir in me, the chains of broken hearted lethargy beginning to fall away as I pictured the crowd of parents and students alike, watching as the candidates answered all the hardball questions, engaged in all the thinly veiled attack strategies, and suddenly I wasn't so depressed anymore. In fact, I think I was starting to get some of my spirit back.

Looking over at Ashley for the first time in days I shelved my urge to drool long enough to realize that she was damn wrong, I wasn't like my mother, and I'd show her! I'd prove it to that diabolical, demonically possessed, playboy bunny looking, rock star father having, disappointed look giving, _other _candidate! My veins running hot with new blood I stood up, interrupting good Mr. Hanley long enough to announce that I was going to practice, then nearly running out of the room in my excitement. One handedly spinning in my locker combo I used my free hand to text all of my staff, ordering them to get the posters and their game-faces ready, this VP debate was going to be all about one person, me! I'd win this election, and I'd do it the right way, no more pandering to outcast social groups or befriending loser video game dorks that I wouldn't even had looked at last year. I'd do it by winning over all the people who mattered, all the popular people. So screw you Davies! You can have the gays!

Changing quickly and skipping into the gym I felt light as air as I jumped into the routine as if I'd been there all afternoon.

Practice passed quickly and I was soon changing into my hand delivered outfit, all of my campaign staff having arrived and waiting for me outside the locker room. I slipped into the tight black wool button-up number and knee-high black leather boots, then added a pair of diamond studs and a sparkling diamond tennis bracelet, brushing my hair stick straight and applying just a tiny amount of smoky eye-shadow before exiting to rampant applause.

"You look great Spencer!" Tony blurted and I smiled at him, then instantly pointed down the hallway.

"To the auditorium!!" We marched determinedly down the hall, with me detailing my plans to win the old-fashioned way, by being the most popular and snobby, my staff taking down every word into their clipboards. When we finally arrived at the cavernous auditorium Mr. Hanley quickly came up to me.

"Glad to see you made it dear, now we can start setting up if you'll just retrieve your competitor. I believe Ms. Davies in the common room behind the stage."

"Yes sir!" I replied cheerily, dispatching my staff to wait at all the entrances with Spencer Carlin propaganda. Bouncing up the stage stairs and behind the black curtain, then all the way through the labyrinth that existed back there, I managed to find the room he must've been talking about. Peeking gingerly inside I found Ashley laying on a squishy leather couch, still in her school uniform, and grinned evilly as I stepped inside, closing the door behind me so that no one would hear. I took a deep breath…

"WAKE UPPPPP!!!!!!!!!!" I yelled and she jolted up, breathing hard, then looked over at me angrily.

"Real mature Carlin." She murmured, getting up off the couch and gunning for the door. "Enjoy your fucking debate, I'm out of here."

"Fine." I replied, my grin getting even wider. I'd so look like the better candidate, actually staying to help, I couldn't wait…

"What the--" Ashley muttered, grabbing the door handle and pulling, then yanking harder.

"What is it?" I started to ask as she stopped pulling, turning around slowly and groaning.

"…we're stuck." She said in a tortured tone and I felt the color drain out of my face.

"We're what?" I asked dully, not quite sure I heard her correctly. She responded by turning around again and yanking even harder at the door handle, jiggling it this way and that before finally just pounding on the door.

"Shit, we're fucking stuck!!"

"WHAT?!" I repeated, panicking. I had a whole room of people to schmooze, a million hands to shake, a million votes to earn!! I had to get out there before the debate started!

"Move!" I declared, pushing her out of the way none-too-gently and attacking the door myself, which worked about as well for me as it had for her.

"Argh! Dammit!!" I groaned, resorting to the slamming on it desperately technique as well. This couldn't be happening!!

"HELP!! WE'RE TRAPPED!!!" I yelled, pounding still harder as Ashley stared at me, finally she just rolled her eyes and dragged me away from the door.

"They can't hear you you moron! The entire stage is soundproof." She pointed out and I looked at her.

"How do you know that?!" I asked, still freaking out (if you couldn't already tell by the amount of exclamation marks).

"I'm a tour kid idiot. See, my dad was kind of in this little rock band…" She started sarcastically and I jerked my arm out of her grasp.

"I know who your father is." I said coldly. Silence quickly followed as we just stared each other down, then Ash just over to the couch and flopped over.

"Nice going Svetlana." She announced and I stopped agonizing over the door to glare at her.

"That's not my name." I said harshly and she opened her eyes, slowly sitting back up, one eyebrow cocked.

"Did you say something, Svetlana?" She asked slowly, annoyingly, and I felt my fists ball up at my sides, my frustration focusing there.

"My name is Spencer."

"Whatever you say Svetlana." She replied and I found my feet taking me towards that couch, all of my muscles tense and my teeth gritted so tightly that it hurt. Now, it takes a lot to make me mad, like a monumental effort on the part of the other person, and Ashley had certainly succeeded.

"My. Name. Is. SPENCER!!" I near yelled and Ash stood up, staring me down.

"I'll call you whatever I want…_Svetlana_." She said in a dangerously low voice, her eyes narrowing. Finally, for the first time in my life, I just snapped. Never before had things ever been so bad that I wanted to hurt somebody, but dammit I wanted to hurt her. It was her fault the damn door was locked, it was her fault that I'd attended that GSA meeting, everything was her damn fault! I tackled her and before I knew it we were rolling around the carpet, tussling. Swears were being tossed out liberally as we wrestled, and I heard some fabric rip more than a few times, but mostly I was just so mad that everything was a blur. When the dust finally settled I was on top, literally, straddling her and holding her wrists down above her head.

"My…name…is…Sp-Spencer…" I panted triumphantly and she looked up at me, eyes smoldering.

"…what? Are you gonna make me say it?" She asked in a barely audible voice and I suddenly became quite aware of our position, the way our hips were locked and how her shirt had ridden nearly all the way up, wrinkling to a stop just under her lacy black bra. Her brown hair was a sexy mess, her curls spreading out messily around her head, an unruly piece settling just across her face. I swallowed, trying to think of a suitable reply, and in that moment of weakness I lost my nerve. She abruptly flipped me over, slamming me onto my back hard and I just stared up at her, breath coming in short gasps. She looked me and up and down much the way a lion would observe its prey and when her eyes finally returned from their trip they landed on mine, burning into me.

"…you know, you're really sexy when you're mad…" She stated in a husky whisper and I shivered a little, acutely aware of the fact that the way she was leaning forward made her naked stomach press up against mine…and how all I had to do was raise my head up an inch or so to kiss the space where her neck and collarbone met…I instantly tore my gaze away from hers, trying to look away, but my traitorous eyes just ran down her body, taking in the rip at the collar of her shirt and how strained the buttons were, making me wonder exactly which one I'd have to undo for her entire shirt to just fall apart in my hands…Her skirt was bunched around her hips too, the flimsy plaid fabric stopping just shy of where I wanted it to.

Her grip tightened on my wrists that she held on either side of my head as I didn't reply, just turned my face away and tried desperately to think of other things. Come on Spencer. Pull it together. Campaign, Campaign, Campaign, Campaign, Camp—Oh dammit, I stopped thinking when she pressed her lips to the sensitive spot just behind my ear…then immediately resumed panicking when there was a loud knock at the door.

"Spencer? Ms. Davies? Are you two alright? Can you hear me?" I slid out from under Ashley like she was on fire at the sound of Mr. Hanley's voice, instantly standing up and looking myself over, running my fingers through my hair and straightening my shirt before replying in a squeak,

"Y-Yes, we're f-fine!" I said and Ashley just rolled her eyes, pouting as she slowly got to her feet. She petulantly pulled down her skirt and re-buttoned her shirt, glaring at the door. There was a 'click' sound and Mr. Hanley jiggled the door handle again.

"Sorry about that ladies, I had forgotten it was self-locking. It is open now!" He announced and Ashley breezed past me.

"This doesn't make us friends you know, we're still at war Carlin." She said in a low voice and my own eyes narrowed as I tried to put on a brave front even though my insides had been reduced to unrefrigerated jelly.

"…wouldn't have it any other way." I replied as she opened the door and waltzed through it, not even bothering to look at poor Mr. Hanley, who looked quite perplexed.

_tbc_

_r&r_

_more sexual tension comin' right up… _


	8. Test

The Art of War

8: No Need to Panic, This is Just a Test

"Well, the debate is about to start." Mr. Hanley announced and I walked out of the room in a haze, all of my bravado gone in the wake of Ashley's exit.

"O-okay." I replied in a tiny voice, following him back out past the stage and to the packed auditorium floor. My staff surrounded my instantly with reports and new impromptu polls but somehow I couldn't focus on them. I was too busy replaying the scene with Ashley over and over in my head, picturing what might've happened if Mr. Hanley hadn't knocked…needless to say I didn't get a single worthwhile thing done the rest of the night but I can't say I minded that much…

"Good morning Spencer!!" Sara declared the next morning as I stood at my locker, still feeling happily hot (and confused) from both last night's happenings and later, dreamings.

"Morning Sara!" I reciprocated, grabbing my books and such as Jordan popped up behind me and Madison appeared at my free side, surrounding me in a bright cheerleader triumvirate.

"You know we have a meeting with Coach Lewis first period right? Here's your pass." Madison announced, handing me a purple slip of paper (Coach Lewis's signature color). I merely looked at it, a little disappointed that I wouldn't have the chance to blankly stare at Ash and goggle at her, ahem, 'assets' during Spanish class, the only class I had with her…

"…awesome." I said unenthusiastically and they all grinned, bouncing right into a conversation about what the meeting would probably be about, our fast approaching first competition. I offered little tidbits and noncommittal responses until the bell rang, then sat through homeroom, turning the pass over and over in my hands. I mean, I could skip the meeting…but then I'd get grilled by my minions for the rest of the day, and Coach Lewis would probably not be very happy with me. It was just Spanish class after all, nothing major, and I'd gotten straight A's in the class since I started taking it in 8th grade…but…

"Hey Cam, can you tell Mr. Lopez I'm at a meeting and give him my pass please?" I asked the blond haired, blue eyed, thick skulled football star and he nearly tripped over himself accepting the note.

"Of course. Anything for you Spencer." He replied with a huge grin, cradling the tiny slip of paper in his huge hands as if it would blow away any second.

"Thanks." I tried to smile for him but I'm sure it turned out more like a grimace as the bell rang and I was forced to trudge off toward the gym building instead of down the hall to the one class I actually looked forward to everyday.

I shuffled up the stone steps that led to Coach Lewis's huge office (second only to Coach Pruitt's, the varsity football coach) and entered the warm, sunlit room to find my entire Squad spread out on the couches and armchairs, joking and laughing loudly. I just sighed and flopped over onto my sunny reserved seat right in front of the window, hearing and seeing Ashley all over again.

"…_you know, you're really sexy when you're mad." _Too bad my red-faced histrionics were nothing compared to her tousle haired, ripped shirt, foul-mouthed fighting skills…it was enough to drive a girl crazy…I'd never tell her that of course, at least, not to her face, but I was free to think it…and think I did.

"Morning girls!" Coach Lewis boomed, entering the room at high speed, a gaggle of freshman behind her, carrying the coffee and donuts. Everything about Coach Lewis was big, her personality, her Texas born and bred voice, her blonde streaked hair, her tits (DD's!!), and her competition routines. No one knew her age, and there was no way you could tell by looking (kinda like Lindsay Lohan, the girl could be 22 or 42), and she'd been coaching the Squad since I'd gotten there. She used to be a Dallas Cowboys cheerleader, that much I knew, but that's where my knowledge of her ended.

"Morning Coach!" We all bellowed back, grabbing breakfast from the little ones before sending them off on their way with pats on the back, to which they grinned stupidly and giggled on their way out. The freshman made good slaves, the sophomores all thought they were too good for it and the juniors thought getting coffee automatically equaled a spot on the Squad, so we tended to stick with the first years for all our lackey needs.

"Hmm? Is that all y'all have to say to me?" She asked, cocking an eyebrow as she took a seat at her desk, crossing her barely covered legs (today's wardrobe selection was a mini-skirt, cowboy boots, and a hot pink button up shirt that clearly looked like it wanted to be anywhere else than stretched across her ample bosom).

"Thanks Coach Lewis!" We chorused automatically and she nodded happily, then yanked out an ominous looking stack of DVD's and dropped them none-too-gently on her desk.

"Well, here are your new routines for the competition. Go on, don't be shy!" She declared and we all looked each other, holding in groans. I was the first to lean forward and grab one of the DVD's, which always starred Coach Lewis as our 'Virtual Coach', complete with annoying accent and everything.

"Y'all have a week to get 'em down pat before Spencer and Madison can help y'all integrate the new routines with the one's we've already learned this year. Now how's that sound? Fair huh?" As a group, we pasted fake grins on and nodded as Coach Lewis clapped delightedly.

"Alright my little future OSCC champs! Now that you're all outfitted with the latest hows about we just enjoy our breakfast and chat hmm?" After that the room went right back to it's girly, gossipy self and I just sat back and listened to all the latest scandals and schemes as they played out before me, all the time thinking that I had missed Spanish class…for this?

The rest of the day breezed by, with me sneaking away into the TV Studio whenever I could to get a sneak peek at the new DVD. Unfortunately, it turned out to be as disappointingly difficult as I thought it would be, with a bunch of new flips and springs added, and more than a few basket tosses. I tried hard to memorize some of them and brought the knowledge with me to practice that afternoon, pounding the Squad through the current routine in ten minutes, then spending the rest of practice on the new routines.

"'Preparation is key'." Madison said mockingly as we showered and changed in the locker room an hour and a half later and I just shook my head sheepishly.

"Hey, I didn't tell her to give us the routine from hell okay?" I replied and the fiery Latina just rolled her eyes, running a hand through her light brown hair, which had turned from sleek to frizzy in the course of our workout.

"Bye Spencer." The entire Squad grumbled as they trudged out of the locker room, and even Madison didn't have any other sentiment to offer as she bade me the same and sashayed out of the room. I just sighed and went back to stuffing my cheerleading ensemble in my duffel bag, then moving to pull my cardigan on over the Pinkerton Prep issue white shirt I currently sported only to find my hands grasping at air. I was stopped in my searching by a low, raspy voice I knew and wanted to hear every minute of every day.

"Looking for something?" Ashley asked, twirling my cardigan around on one finger, just out of my reach as she leaned against the locker next to mine. I reached for it and she moved her hand, causing me to hit air again, and I gave up, knowing I had no chance.

"What're you doing here Davies?" I asked coolly, though I felt anything but, leaning against my locker and lowering my duffel bag to the floor.

"Came to give you something." She said, tossing my cardigan at me and reaching into her shirt to remove a folded up white piece of paper. "…tonight's Spanish homework. Mr. Lopez told me to give it to you. Apparently he didn't trust the jock." She announced evilly, eyes sparkling as I stared at the homework, certain she wasn't going to give it up without a price.

"…you're going to give it to me?" I asked warily as she held it out gingerly.

"Of course not." She replied with a laugh, yanking it away as soon as I reached for it. I pouted and went back to pulling my cardigan on.

"Fine, it's only one assignment, I'll make it up." I declared. Two could play at this game.

"Uh uh, it's worth a test grade." She said entreatingly, dangling the paper in front of me again and I glared at her.

"What do you want Davies?" I asked and a second later I found myself pressed hard against my locker, Ashley's face just millimeters from mine.

"For you…" She started, taking the edges of my skirt in her fists and sliding it up torturously, my homework assignment crinkling in one of them, though I can honestly say I didn't care right then, test or not. "To drop out of the race." She finished, moving to nip lightly at the space where my jawline and neck met and I shivered involuntarily, then pushed her away before I just submitted to all her demands.

"You're c-crazy if you think I'm dropping out." I replied in a shaky voice, willing my self not to look down or start drooling. Ashley just gave me a pleading look that instantly removed all the bones from my body.

"…pleeaasseee…" She murmured, reaching out to stroke my now exposed thigh with the side of a finger and I tried to back up but the locker impeded my progress. I started to panic, looking around the locker room but knowing that I was completely alone.

"W-why do you want me to d-drop out? I thought you wanted to b-beat me." I stammered and she rolled her eyes.

"…my Dad's kind of obsessed with this whole 'pay your Mom back for being a royal bitch in high school' thing. He says I have to win or else and you rule this fucking school so..." She replied frankly and my I looked at her suspiciously.

"What makes you think I would drop out…for a Spanish assignment?" I asked, voice stronger now and she gave me a look, taking another few steps forward and trailing her hand even higher. I whimpered and slammed my eyes shut as she brought her face up to the side of mine, breathing in my ear.

"…that's not all you get…" She brought her other hand up, the one with my assignment held in it, and slid the piece of paper into the waistband of my skirt, kissing my ear slowly. My heart going a million miles a minute I managed to escape her clutches by stumbling to the side, and promptly falling on my ass. She just gave me a look from her position hovering above me.

"…think about it alright _Spencer_?" She murmured in that voice of hers that sent ripples up and down my spine, then whipped around and exited the locker room as silently as she came. My face red and my legs nonfunctioning I fumbled to free the piece of paper and just stared at it, then let my head bang backwards against the locker…damn you Davies…

_tbc_

_r&r _


	9. The Language of Love

The Art of War

9: The Language of Love

When I got home the first thing I did was jump into the shower, attempting to scrub away that hot feeling that was enveloping me…if only the memory of Ashley's touch could be just as easily removed…Then, predictably, I sat down to work on the stupid Spanish assignment, all of the crinkles in it only serving to remind me of how I'd gotten a hold of it. I couldn't even concentrate as the letters and accent marks all started to blur together in my vision, all I saw was me, and Ashley, and that empty locker room. Finally I just gave up on the assignment and filled in a bunch of B.S. answers, then curled up and went to sleep, my dreams taking me right back to that afternoon and all that could've happened…

As soon as sunshine leaked into my room through the blinds the next morning I jumped out of bed, my lamenting of Ashley finished. I couldn't let her get the best of me, I'd play her game dammit, and I'd beat her at it! I showered along to the tune of Blake Lewis, alternately scrubbing and using my loofa as a righteous microphone.

"It's time to surr-ender!" I sang into the steam and then, when I was sufficiently clean, exited the shower and determinedly dressed. I made sure all the lines of my uniform were crisp and clean, tightened my tie extra-tight, slipped a pretty matching headband on, and scooped up my messenger bag, my game face on and set. I skipped my Starbucks run that morning, instead driving straight for the golden halls of Pinkerton Preparatory Academy, sliding into a perfect parking space and bouncing to my locker with all the moxy I could muster.

"Good morning Spencer!" Sara, Jordan, and Shannon chorused and I replied with the same, grabbing my books and already thinking ahead to Spanish class.

"Please tell me we're not having practice this afternoon." Were the first words out of Madison's mouth as she joined the fray and I looked at her.

"Coach Lewis is gonna kill us if we don't have those routines down." I warned cheerily and she just made a face, then released a resigned sigh.

"Whatever." She replied lazily as I brushed past her, my mind decidedly on things other than cheerleading. Firmly shutting my locker and reviving my smile I headed down the hall, glad to see that my posters were all in up in full effect and even stopping to jovially straighten out a crooked one before strolling into homeroom. I was still going to beat Davies, that was a given, but now she and I had a different battle to wage, a Battle of the Teases. Sara, Jordan, and Shannon followed behind me, looking at each other for in confusion a second, then rushing to mimic my determined countenance.

I spent all of homeroom excitedly wound up, and attempting to brush up on my sexy. I wondered what turned her on then realized that my goal for today would be to find out, and then use it to my advantage. She wouldn't be the only one cornering Presidential Candidates in locker rooms anymore, oh no. When the bell rang I nearly ran out of class, jetting off down the hall to Spanish and taking my seat, eagerly anticipating my rival's arrival.

The rest of the class showed up before she did as she came in ten minutes late again and Mr. Lopez glared at her, standing up from his desk and looking around the room as she took her seat.

"Alright, well I'm hoping you're all finished with your warm-up because we're moving on." He said in his 'not happy' voice and I momentarily returned to staring at my textbook, waiting for the right chance to slip Ashley a dirty note or a 'come hither' look. "We're going to be starting a term project that will comprise up to thirty percent of your final grade in this class." There were gasps all around and instant panic set in on the class, thoroughly dispersing my plans to seduce Ashley in a blast of worry and scholastic jeopardy.

"It will be a partner project," We all held our breath, waiting to announce who we'd have to depend on for what was essentially our entire grade. "And, as most of you are responsible young adults, most of you will get to choose who you wish to work with," I released the breath I'd been holding and immediately started looking around for the Brains I could count on, then Mr. Lopez cleared his throat. "Except for you Ms. Davies, as you can't seem to get to class on time, I will assign a partner to you." The entire class quieted down again instantly, with everyone shooting Mr. Lopez desperate 'not me' looks that he pretended not to notice.

"You can work with Ms. Carlin, as Presidential Candidates I'm sure you'll both do a great job." He announced evilly and I felt my jaw drop. W-w-what?! Ashley, who never did her homework or took notes or even brought her textbook to class?? I was supposed to WORK WITH HER??!!! The rest of the class didn't bother to hide their relief at actually having a chance to pass Spanish class, and you know, get the required credits TO GRADUATE!

"You may move your desks now, be sure to sit right next to your partner." He ordered and I stifled a groan, trying to see the silver lining. Alright, so I might have to do this entire project by myself but hey, this would be the easiest way to coyly find out all her weaknesses. Renewing my determination I stood up, gingerly moving my desk next to hers. She merely gave me one of her looks, then sat up and resumed twirling her pen around in one hand.

"Here are the rubrics for the project, if you have any questions you can ask me. As a gift, I will allow you to spend the rest of class working on it. Good luck." I took the stupid rubric he was handing out and stared at it, wondering how spectacularly I could fail at it.

"…kiddie stuff." Ashley announced slowly in her Bored N' Sexy voice as she looked over her copy of it and my brows furrowed as I took in the requirements. We had to write a short story, poem, or song completely in Spanish using proper conjugation and advanced vocabulary. The short story had to be at least 4000 words, the poem had to be at least 2000 words and rhyme, and the song had to be at least 150 words and not only rhyme, but had to be performed for the class as well.

"Kiddie stuff?!" I squeaked and she looked at me.

"I speak Spanish you moron." She declared but with only a little of the usual acid, it was mostly just playful. I just continued to gape and she rolled her eyes.

"As much as she tries to deny it my mom's Peruvian, I spend all my summers in South America."

"Oh." I said lamely, looking back down at the sheet, my cheeks turning pink.

"So," Ashley started in a low voice, leaning closer to me. "…have you thought about it?" I cleared my throat, trying to play dumb and buy enough time to launch a counter attack.

"Thought about what?" I asked faux-innocently.

"My offer." She replied succinctly, laying a palm on my thigh under the desk and keeping it there.

"Oh, right." I squeaked. Come on Carlin. Think, think. Be witty. Be sexy. Just do something!

"…what exactly does this um, "offer", entail?" I asked sheepishly, only to have Ashley slip the end of her pen under my chin, forcing me to look deep into her hypnotizing brown eyes.

"Drop out of the race, and you get me. Plain and simple." She whispered and I sucked in a breath, lightly batting the pen away and leaning back from her.

"No way, y-you want me anyway." I replied, going for sexy and ending up with scared but oh well, it was a start. She just shrugged, moving the pen to my leg and running it up and down it.

"You're right…you play the good girl shtick so well…I just wanna make you scream…" She replied intensely, then continued. "But, I can hold out longer than you can."

"What makes you think that?" I asked, attempting to play it cool when her last statement had effectively clouded my head with many thoughts…of screaming…

"Wanna bet?" She asked, eyes dancing, and I shook my head, seeing where this was going.

"No way, and I'm going to win the election no matter what." I said determinedly and she just sighed exasperatedly.

"Aw come on Spencer," She pouted, tapping my cheek with the pen lightly. "Me love you long time…" She said playfully and we looked at each other for a second, then burst into laughter, earning us a hateful look from Mr. Lopez. He didn't have much time to glare though as the bell rang a second later and I stood up quickly, gathering my things and starting for the door.

"This isn't over Carlin!" Ashley called after me as I left and I wholeheartedly agreed. This was far from it.

_tbc_

_r&r_

_love those partner projects…_


	10. G L T B Q

The Art of War

10: G, L, T, B, or Q?

As the rest of the day hummed by I was so preoccupied that I almost forgot that there was another GSA meeting this afternoon. By the time I remembered I was an hour deep into final period and I started, sending all of my African Literature materials straight to the floor.

"Are you alright Ms. Carlin?" Our teacher, Mrs. Chidi asked and I nodded, flushing deeply as another mass of jocks helped me pick them all back up. As soon as she was sufficiently engrossed in the lecture at hand again I grabbed my cell phone, sending the Squad a quick cancellation e-mail as well as my Mom. Then I quickly wondered if I should have. I mean, I'd vowed not to associate with losers just for the sake of the campaign but I would prove those prickly bitches (I'm looking at you Bryce) completely right if I stopped showing up…plus Ashley would still be attending…hmm…

By the time the final bell had rung I'd made up my mind and as soon as I hit my locker I jetted down through the particle filled passage and through the newly reinstated flag (since I had put the old one out of commission) only to find the room almost completely empty.

"…wha--?" I started to mutter when Riley waved an arm from the center of the room.

"My, you're early Spencer." He/She/It (?) declared and I jumped, then willed my heart to slow down as I gingerly approached the couch Riley was sitting on.

"Oh." I said in a small voice, observing the President, who today wore a black wool hat over those unruly waves, a safety pinned to within an inch of its life black hoodie, skin tight navy blue jeans and those boots again. The outfit brought me no closer to figuring out who/what Riley was exactly. I flopped over into a seat near the Pres, placing my bag lightly on the floor.

"So…um, Riley, G, L, T, B, or Q?" I asked playfully, hoping to get an answer and finally solve the mystery of the inscrutable president. Riley merely looked at me for a while with those bright, almost gold colored, eyes until I started to fidget, then the Pres just laughed.

"I'm all of those…and none of them, all at once."

"Oh…" I started, then just blurted out the rest. "'Cause I'm not sure just where I stand…" I actually clapped a hand to my mouth as I realized what I'd just said. Me, Spencer Carlin, Governor's daughter and straight A student, might just have admitted that I'm not completely straight. Riley just looked at me again, then placed a hand on my shoulder.

"Don't be in such a hurry to define yourself Spencer, you're more than just a few letters or an acronym alright?" Riley offered sagely just as the other members of the club started to slowly stream in.

"Spencer!" Jill squealed delightedly, dropping into the seat right next to me as Shea took the armrest.

"Glad you came." She said, running a hand through her unfathomably perfect dark curly hair.

"Ah, the Royal Princess descends upon us once again. Another public relations mission?" Bryce asked and I glared at him for a second until Ashley popped up just behind him.

"Surprised to see you here Carlin." She announced, sharing the general sentiment of the rest of the club, but it seemed to be more a pleasant surprise to them than anything else.

"Time to get the meeting started I guess." Ty announced, skating into the room and kickflipping himself into an armchair as we looked on.

"What is our issue of the day?" Shea asked interestedly, stretching out over me and Jill's laps and placing her hands under her head. Bryce instantly cleared his throat and took up the center stage position, looking around at everyone in the club while Ashley took the seat next to Shea. I happily noted that she was glaring at the girl.

"We're protesting the blood drive next week." He announced and my jaw dropped, as head of the Student Council I helped organize that very blood drive.

"Why?!" I sputtered, we always got a ton of donations and helped to keep the local hospital stocked. It benefited the entire community, I didn't see any reason to protest it.

"Openly discriminatory banking." Bryce replied passionately and I just gave him a blank stare, to which he stomped his foot and continued.

"They won't let you donate blood if you even _look_ like a gay man!"

"But that's hospital policy, not the school's policy!" I pointed out and Riley cleared ?'s throat, to which silence overtook the club instantly.

"…then maybe the school should work with another medical facility. That hospital also refuses to perform gender reassignment surgery on the basis of religion." The Pres declared in a quiet but power filled voice and I just looked around helplessly. A week was so not long enough for me to convince the entire student council and the Dean that we had to switch hospitals, and I couldn't very well boycott my own blood drive!

"So we're protesting it." Bryce said again and a general murmur of assent spread through the club.

"What're you guys gonna do?" I blurted and everybody turned to glare at me.

"Don't you mean, what're _we_ going to do?" Bryce asked dangerously, bright blue eyes narrowed and thin arms folded over his chest. I just stared. What? I couldn't possibly…not with the whole school turning out for it…I think Mom was even scheduled to make an appearance…

"I—I—I'm in student council--" I started lamely and Bryce's lip curled.

"I knew it, you're just another dirty pandering politician, you don't really care about us at all." He said in a tone dripping with contempt, to which I stood up quickly, dislodging Shea.

"Yes I do! But I made a commitment to them first!"

"So, it does not matter if it is still wrong, as long as you signed up for it before you knew better?" The super model looking girl asked, resettling herself on the couch next to Jill. Quite suddenly I found myself in a completely impossible situation, and I'd lose either way. Then suddenly I thought of something.

"Okay, I'll protest with you guys." I announced and the club fell silent again instantly.

"…r-really?" Bryce fumbled, staring at me in disbelief, much like the rest of the club.

"Really." I replied and Shea grinned at me as everyone else broke into applause. Little did they know I had a plan, a plan that would hopefully ensure I didn't lose either votes or friends. Implementing it would take some balls, but I was ready for it. For the moment though, I just basked in the glory of acceptance until the meeting was over. Slowly, everyone trickled out of the room, leaving me and Ashley alone once again.

"Way to do the right thing Carlin, I didn't think you had it in you." She said lazily, inspecting a chipped nail from her position splayed out in an armchair. I didn't reply, merely walked over to where she was sitting, and straddled her.

"I always do." I replied huskily and for the first time she looked a bit flustered, but quickly recovered, placing her hands at my hips and leaning forward.

"…oh really?" She murmured right against my lips and I placed a finger in between just as they would have met.

"You're going to get beat into the ground Davies." I whispered, then hopped off and slunk out of the room, feeling delightfully on top of my competition, in more ways than one…

_tbc_

_r&r_


	11. The View

The Art of War

11: We've Got the Land, But She's Got the View

As soon as I got home that afternoon I began to put my plan into action, immediately hopping on my computer and looking up the articles that had kept up a steady steam through the local newspaper all of last year about St. John's Hospital, then printed them out and left them on my nightstand. That was phase 1, phase 2 would be initiated when Mom finally got home. To tie myself over until then I popped in Coach Lewis's damn DVD and slipped into a sports bra and some sweats, ready to practice until I dropped. An hour and a half later I finally got the call for dinner and eagerly showered and changed back, then bounded down the stairs and to the kitchen.

"Good evening dear, I hope you're ready for Dad's famous homemade spaghetti!" Dad exclaimed happily and I nodded and smiled absently, looking around for mom. Ha! I found my target buried in her PDA, tapping away with the stylus at the tiny screen and I looked over her shoulder, a sure way to get her attention.

"May I help you?" She asked in a slightly irritated tone and I nodded.

"Well yes actually, it has to do with my upcoming election…" I started and she jumped right onto the bait, putting away her phone and looking at me.

"What is it? What do you need?" She asked, suddenly animated as Dad jovially set up table and called for Glen and Clay again.

"…it's about the upcoming blood drive."

"The one with St. John's?" She asked, looking a little confused.

"Yes, see as head of Student Council I have to be there and everything…but I just don't think St. John's represents the Carlin family values." I started, putting on my concerned face.

"Tell me more." Mom demanded and I proceeded to over the course of dinner, then again had to resist the urge to break into maniacal laughter at how perfectly she fell into my hands. That night I went to bed and fell right into my typical Ashley fantasies, my mind and heart lightened considerably…

"Morning Spencer!" Shannon greeted as I skipped to my locker the next morning, all smiles and sunshine.

"Morning Shannon!" I replied excitedly, going through my usual routine book exchange.

"Coach's practice later this afternoon so don't be late." Madison warned, studying her face in her compact as she spoke and I promptly dropped my African Lit. textbook.

"Did everyone practice the DVD?!" I asked, a bit panicked until my cronies all nodded enthusiastically and I released a sigh of relief. I picked up my book, sliding it into my bag before slinging that over my shoulder and marching off to homeroom, flanked by my cheerleader security team. The rest of the day was abuzz with chatter from the other students about the Coach's practice. It was an open practice, since Coach Lewis always seemed to think that a crowd would make us perform better, and a lot of people always managed to show up. I tried not to get nervous though, sneaking off again during my breaks to brush up on the routine, and constantly shooting my Squad-mates meaningful looks when I saw them.

Eventually final period came and went and I found myself back at my locker, gingerly extracting my Pinkerton Prep sports bag that held my real uniform, instead of the gold and red short shorts and half shirts we used for practice. The atmosphere inside the locker room was one full of anticipation and anxiety as I changed into the genuine article, then surveyed myself in the mirror. Despite how prudish our school uniforms were, or maybe because of it, the cheerleading uniforms were good and slutty. The red with gold accenting halter style shirt stopped an inch or so shy of my belly button and the bright gold skirt was at least four inches above my knee. The only thing I was glad for when I wore it was the fact that all the frequent practices kept me in good shape. There was nothing worse than overfilling a cheerleading uniform.

"Alright girls, everybody ready?" I asked, grabbing my red and gold pom poms and holding them tightly in one hand.

"Ready." Madison declared determinedly and corresponding nods came from the rest of the Squad. We headed out of the locker room with our heads and pom poms held high, ready to put out, that is, until I noticed a certain someone in the crowd.

"Uh…let's s-stretch out." I commanded and everybody looked at me, but started in on it anyway. I meanwhile, waved to the crowd, then snuck over to the side of the bleachers where Ashley leaned against a wall.

"What're you doing here Davies?" I asked curiously, honestly a little happy that she'd showed up, (okay, a lot happy, so sue me).

"Just taking in the scenery." She replied disinterestedly.

"How come you're not sitting in the bleachers?" I asked and she shrugged, looking me up and down.

"I like the view from here thanks." She responded silkily and I turned around, starting back for my Squad.

"Enjoy the show." I tossed out over my shoulder and she grinned, eyes sparkling from behind me. Music instantly started to thump through the loud speakers as we stepped into formation and the crowd started to cheer immediately.

"Baby where'd you get yo body from? Baby where'd you get yo body from? _I got it from my mama, I got it from my mama_." The heavy guitar and bass lines could be felt through the floor as we jumped into the routine, the stars of Pinkerton Prep, and the crowd responded by cheering even louder.

A good half an hour later we were sweaty and hot but the routine had been finished nearly to perfection (Shannon had overstepped one of the dance moves but oh well). The girls waved and started for the locker room but Coach Lewis held me back, trotting me out to meet some rival coach who had sat in on the show as everyone left. By the time I finally escaped from her clutches the entire crowd was gone, and all of my Squad was leaving as well. Pretty soon the only person left was Ashley, who took a seat on the first bleacher as I watched Coach Lewis offer to walk the other coach to their car, leaving us all alone.

"Like what you saw?" I asked, walking over to where Ash sat. She gave me a look, then slowly stood up and took my hand, starting silently for the empty locker room. I followed obediently, my stomach starting to do flip flops. As soon as we got inside she buried her fingers in my hair and pressed my back into a locker, looking deep into my eyes as she hiked up my skirt and slipped a knee between my legs.

"…w-whatever happened to…holding out?" I whispered, my hands involuntarily landing at her shoulders as I started to tremble.

"…fuck that…I want you." She murmured, tangling her fingers in my hair and slamming my head backwards, then nipping my bottom lip just as harshly. Her hurtful kiss quickly migrated to my jaw line and lower. I started to protest but she kissed my throat, causing the words to dry up and die there, and there was nothing really I could do. As she brought her lips back up to mine and parted them I let my hands drift away from their position and down her chest and the rest of her shirt, landing at the hem. After a moments hesitation I slowly undid the bottom button, then the next one up, and the one above that, letting my thumbs glide wondrously over the newly exposed taut bronze surface, then hooking them into the waistband of her skirt, pulling her ever closer into me. She growled in response, tightening her grip on my hair and deepening her kiss so that I began to feel like I just might pass out, starved for oxygen but not really caring one bit, just kissing her back just as passionately.

My fingers, who seemed to have stopped taking directions from my brain and instead functioned entirely on their own, hastily unfastened the front clasp of her skirt and wandered even lower before she pulled away a little.

"…what's wrong?" I asked in a voice drunk with lust and she shook her head slowly.

"Absolutely nothing…" She replied huskily, taking my right hand and bringing it up to her lips. She kissed my palm, then licked at the spaces in between before nipping at my index finger and slipping it into her mouth. I closed my eyes, my left hand tightening on her skirt, then…

"Still here Spence?" A voice echoed across the locker room and Ashley and I broke apart, with the brunette sliding quickly into an empty stall as Coach Lewis bounded up to where I was standing.

"C-Coach Lewis!" I squeaked, yanking my skirt back down and smoothing my hair.

"Well there ya are dear, Madison said you were still on the bleachers havin' a little chat with your opponent, that Davies kid, I see you guys are finished." She rambled cheerily and my face turned even redder. Yeah, but we wouldn't have been finished if your ditzy ass hadn't waltzed in here dammit!

"Well come on sweetness, I need you in my office ASAP so you can get my report on today's practice."

"Coming…" I mumbled, wishing I'd have been saying that exact same thing to Ashley instead. I lethargically picked up my stuff and exited the gym, still in my uniform, and could've sworn I heard a raspy voice utter,

"Fuck!" just as I left. If only…

_tbc _

_r&r_

_Ash gets into election mode, comin' up next…_


	12. Guerilla Warfare

The Art of War

The Art of War

12: Guerilla Warfare

I hopped into my car once I'd finally been released from the over baby-oiled clutches of Coach Lewis and gunned the engine, screaming out of the parking lot and speeding the whole way home only to be relieved to see that neither my mom's black Range Rover or Dad's Ford Focus were in the driveway. Glen's and Clay's cars were missing too, score! It happened a lot, in fact, some nights I didn't see another member of my family into the wee hours of the morning, particularly if Mom's poll numbers were fluctuating or if a tough game (or test in Clay's case) was coming up. Pulling in and stepping out I looked around furtively as I opened the front door, then slipped into the silent and dark mansion. My grip tightening on my school and cheerleading bags I walked slowly up the spiral staircase that led up to my bedroom, closing the door behind me as I entered.

I let my stuff fall to the floor and reached up to close my blinds. Grabbing my CD case I extracted my Maxwell album, used only in cases of extreme emergency, and put it on.

"_never seen the lights off like this, never dug anyone like this…" _My heart started pounding like it always did as I kicked my shoes off and slid under the covers of my bed.

"_I'm callin out to your body, you know what to do, close the door no interlude…" _Coach Lewis may have thwarted my "hot sex with Ashley" plans earlier, but she wasn't here now, and I have a really good memory…

When I woke up it was morning, and I yanked my covers off, looking around and generally being confused until my mom knocked on the door. I snatched the blankets back up around me, my school tie still wrapped around my neck and my skirt hiked up around my waist.

"uhh…come in!" I squeaked and was greeted by the unusually bright and sunshiney face of Mom.

"Morning dear! You were pretty tuckered out last night, you fell asleep so early."

"Yeah, I uh, the campaigns just uh…been pretty stressful." I blabbered, attempting to unknot my tie from under the blankets before it strangled me and/or Mom saw it. She smiled warmly (something I would've never thought possible after all those undercover botox sessions) and leaned against the doorframe for a moment.

"Well, if you ever need anything I'm right here okay? As well as all of the campaign staff." She reiterated and I nodded, smiling back tightly, and as soon as she backed out and shut the door I collapsed against my pillow, letting out a long sigh of relief. Once I'd recovered I bounded up and got ready for school, excited to head back to Pinkerton Prep, the site of the 'almost-hookup'.

There was only one problem, I had almost forgotten that I was running against her.

"Spencer! Spencer!" Jordan zoomed over to my locker as soon as I got to it that morning, breathless and holding onto a raggedy magazine page.

"For the last time, I am NOT putting up a picture of Zac Efron, I refuse to." I replied pre-emptively but she shook her head.

"Who cares about that Ken doll right now? Look at this!" She handed me the slick, laminated paper and I looked it over, heart sinking with every inch of the page I traversed. It was made in the lovingly hand-constructed fashion of a riotgrrl zine, or any punk rock band's myspace page, and proclaimed in scratched up mismatched letters that "Ashley Davies invites u 2 an issues concert Saturday night 9 pm Red's Bar & Tavern. Local acts R encouraged 2 rock out &+ speak their minds about all the b.S. taking place Pinkerton Prep. Join us 4 an evening of politix & rad musik. Paid 4 by : Punx 4 Davies."

"She's even handing out a sampler CD. How're we supposed to top this?!" Jordan shrieked, about two baby steps away from hyperventilating. Honestly I shared quite a bit of her obvious panic, I mean, nothing appealed more to teenagers than rebellion and music, or "musik" in the words of my grammatically handicapped rivals. I jumped into action, my mind spinning right back into campaign mode and out of my hopes and fantasies.

"Okay, first things first, get a team together and find out just who we're dealing with. I want the names of all the members of this..."group"...by the end of the day? Got it?" I barked and she nodded feverishly, then instantly ran off to do as I ordered. Okay, breathe Spencer, just breathe. I banged my head against my locker, more than a little disappointed and even, irrationally, a little hurt I guess. You see I'm well trained in the art of heartless politics, that I knew, but I was a little new to this whole heartbreak thing, and didn't quite know how to react.

Trying to get my thoughts together I ended up staying in the same position of my forehead against the cool burgundy metal until the bell rang for first period and I was forced to jet off only to skid to a stop in front of the classroom door. Spanish V, the class I had with her. My heart pounded out a frantic tattoo against my chest as I glanced into the room to find that she wasn't inside yet. I could totally do this, I didn't have to talk to her or anything, it wasn't even a "work on your project" class day.

Taking a deep breath I walked in and took my seat, then buried my head in my Spanish book, where I vowed it would stay for the rest of class.

"Go on a bender last night or something?" Ashley's voice floated through the pages of my textbook to grate gently against my eardrums and I just tried to tune her out.

"Okayy." She leaned back in her seat and tapped her pen against the desk, then leaned forward again, silencing the pen. She played with her hair a little bit, and fidgeted with her uniform, then finally stabbed me with the pen, pouting. I held in the "OW!" that formed on my tongue at my poor arm's request, moving to rub the spot without lifting my head up. She made a frustrated noise.

"What the hell is up with you?" She asked and I continued quietly inhaling my textbook, not saying a word.

"Fine, be that way." She declared, snatching up her book and opening it with a flourish, pretending to read it while Mr. Lopez continued on at the chalkboard, completely oblivious. She proved to be just as stubborn as I was and didn't say another word to me all of class. Finally the bell rang and we both went our separate ways silently. I was about halfway down the hall when Tony ran up to me, wheezing and redfaced.

"S-Spencer!" He stammered and I closed my eyes, then sighed and pinched the bridge of my nose, feeling all the tension built up in me.

"Spencer." He repeated, tapping me on the shoulder and I turned around slowly, not thinking I could handle any more bad news.

"Yeah?" I asked, resettling my backpack on my shoulders. I would most definitely need a deep-tissue massage or two before this was over.

"Alright, so far we can't find out a damn thing about "Punx 4 Davies"," I interrupted him with a death glare and he quickly held his hands up, "but, but, we did manage to find a way to counter-act her little concert, we're gonna have Relient K introduce you at P3 next week. Cool huh?" He asked, looking mighty pleased with himself and I grew thoughtful for a moment. Okay, so Ashley's concert could only reach as many people as showed up, but the annual Pinkerton Prep Senior Parade was attended by nearly all the students and most of their parents.

"Good job Anthony." I replied brusquely, trying to shrug off the weight that had settled across me. "Now get back to work on this "Punx" issue, I need to know who these people are and if they pose a real threat or not."

"I'm on it." He nodded and turned around, jetting off back down the hall. When he was gone I took a deep breath and leaned against a locker, rubbing my face hard and wondering why I felt like crying.

The rest of the day flew by and by the end of it I was dragging my feet, so not looking forward to cheerleading practice. I was the last person in the locker room, finding it deserted as the rest of my squad stretched out in the gym. Slowly peeling my cardigan off I twirled in my locker combo and opened it, only to have another magazine type page float down into my hands. Sighing I opened it and read slowly, my spirits lifting this time with every cross of the jumbled sentences.

"Ashley Davies invites u 2 a study night Thursday night 6 pm her room. U R encouraged 2 bring ur Spanish project &+ ur brain. Join me 4 an evening of homework & rad musik. Paid 4 by : A Punk Known As Davies." I smiled despite myself, then quickly frowned again. Were Presidential Candidates supposed to be hanging out together? Ugh, I really needed to figure out how I was gonna separate this whole love and politics thing. Confused as ever I folded up the note and tucked it into my backback, then changed into my gear and headed out.

A/N: Just kind of a warm-up to get me back into the story. Study night proves to be more interesting than Spencer would've thought, comin' up next.


	13. Paying Attention

The Art of War

13: Paying Attention

Coach Lewis popped out of nowhere as I stepped foot on the gym floor and I started. Our practices were usually Captain's practices, or the open ones she held occasionally, she almost never just randomly came to actually do her job.

"Hey there Spencer darlin', just wondering how your little campaign was goin." She said with a wide smile and I opened my mouth, then shut it, trying to figure out how to respond, thoroughly taken aback. I didn't get a chance to reply though as Coach Lewis abruptly slung an arm around my shoulder and started to steer me back toward the locker room.

"'Cause ya know, this Davies kid has a lot of resources at her disposal doesn't she?" My buxom coach continued. "What with her family and all that, coming all the way out here from L.A. But, this is our town isn't it dear?" I nodded, more than a little lost; that is, until I caught the gleam in her eye. It was the same shiny reflection that Mom sported whenever she launched a new attack ad or leaked some story about her opponent to the press. Oh no.

"I just happen to be a good friend of Mr. Red, guy who owns that little bar the kid's gonna perform at this weekend, and I'm afraid the old mans memory just ain't what it used to be. He might not remember just how to hook-up all that equipment properly you know?" She declared darkly. "Be a real shame if the concert couldn't go on, but thats just the way the cookie crumbles I guess." With a sigh she patted me on the back and winked before tossing me right back out into the gym. I stared, open-mouthed, as she waved at the rest of the squad before waltzing away. My first thought: I had to warn Ashley! My second thought: on second thought...I shook my head, what the hell was I talking about? Coach Lewis wanted to sabotage her! That wasn't the way to win a campaign! Okay actually it was but...Ashley's words pounded in my memory, clear as if she were standing right next to me.

"_I must be really stupid because for some reason, I thought you'd be different. But you're not, you're just like your mother Carlin." _

There was no way I could not tell her...

"You gonna stand there all day or we gonna practice _mami_?" Madison asked playfully, jerking me out of my political and moral stupor, and I walked over slowly. Leading my squad through the difficult new integrated routine I was on auto-pilot the whole time, not even bothering to correct Jordan as she messed up the same move three times in a row. By the time it was over Madison was staring at me like I had five heads and I could hear whispering as the other girls headed for the locker room.

"Spence? Are you okay?" She asked, sounding genuinely concerned and I attempted to bring myself back down to earth.

"Yeah I'm fine, just tired." I lied easily, then shrugged off the rest of her questioning and grabbed my stuff, nearly running to my car, clad in my practice outfit still. I got in and started the engine, then shut it off again and sat there, head on the steering wheel. Man, I was so out of it. If it had been any other opponent, any other person, I would've rejoiced, would've sat back and watched all their efforts implode in their face with a smile on mine. But it was different with Ashley, I didn't want to hurt her, at all. She could be a jerk to me all she wanted, and vice versa, but the last thing I wanted to see happen was for her to fail. I mean, I still wanted to win and everything...but, I don't know, I guess I wanted it to be real. I'd win fair and square, show her I wasn't who she thought I was, who _I_ thought I was before this whole mess started...

"I'm not going to be home 'till late tomorrow." I announced at dinner a few hours later and my mother nodded absently, buried in the latest research and demographic data her cronies had gathered.

"Why's that honey?" Dad asked, passing Glen the biscuits.

"S-studying with a friend." I replied, accidentally swallowing a little stuffed potato whole and promptly choking on it. He chuckled and patted me on the back until I could breathe again.

"Thanks." I wheezed, my face a brilliant shade of pink.

"No problem sweetheart, just try not to be too late okay?"

"Gross. She's good." Jordan declared bitterly the next morning as I was having a panic attack, standing in front of my locker and wondering just what the hell I should bring with me that afternoon to Ashley's house. My Spanish book? A notebook? Pen, pencil, whip, handcuffs? I'd already decided that I'd tell her about the Red's plot once we'd gotten all our work done, so that way I wouldn't have to worry about it until the end of the night, and we could actually have fun for a while.

"What?" I asked, not paying attention until she whacked me across the arm with a CD.

"Hey!" I replied indignantly, wondering why everybody wanted to abuse my arms lately.

"Davies sampler. It's good!"

"Oh." I said, taking the slim covered disk and regarding it, curious to hear if Ash really had inherited any of her father's singing ability.

"Hey why don't we throw a house party or something Saturday night? Nobody'll go to her stupid show if they have something better to do." Some random girl walking by suggested and I looked at her, wondering when the hell everybody had gotten so damn conniving, then realizing that I'd been just like all of them only a few weeks ago. Was Pinkerton really that cheap? Did everybody in this town just want to crush the Davies? I mean, they couldn't be all that bad. So they were a little different, that didn't mean anything, did it?

"Its okay, she'll bomb regardless." I replied lightly and the girl nodded, walking into her homeroom as I went back to tuning Jordan out, who continued to talk by my side.

"Don't want to be late to first period!" I announced, finally cutting Jordan off ten minutes later when the bell rang, then pelting down the hall to Spanish. I skidded into the room only to find that Ash wasn't there, and took my seat sullenly. I waited and waited, watching the clock, hearing the late bell come and go, and still no sign of my brunette opponent. She didn't show up.

I spent the rest of the day looking for her, like a certified stalker, and I still didn't spot her. By the time my last period rolled around I was in a state of emotional distress. Did I just show up at her house anyway? I mean, she had said be there this afternoon at six, but what if she was sick or something?

"Ms. Carlin. Spencer. Spencer!" Mrs. Chidi said sharply and my head jolted up, out of my thoughts and back into the real world.

"I'm sorry." I apologized instantly and she gave me an odd look, then went back to lecturing as I flushed a deep pink, hiding behind my book. This girl was such a distraction to my life, pretty soon everyone was going to think I was completely insane if I kept spacing out thinking about her.

I managed to make it through African Lit without getting chewed out again, and when the bell rang I hightailed it to my locker, grabbing my Spanish book and duffel bag then racing off to the gym, wanting to get practice over and done with as soon as possible.

Cheerfully pummeling my squad the girls seemed to appreciate the trip back to normalcy and it wasn't long before I was in the locker room, showering and getting ready to go. My heart in my throat I got in my car after saying bye to everyone, hands gripping the steering wheel. Pressing my foot to the gas pedal I drove away from the school and toward the hulking dark brown manor the Davies called home.

241 Hovendon Road, the location of the infamous mansion my mom had fought so hard to destroy and which now shot up into the sky, audaciously reminding everyone that she had failed. I pulled up to a set of sharp black gates, the iron twisted into ornate patterns, and it opened without me doing a thing. I kept looking back at it as I furtively continued up the mile long driveway, wondering if it did that for everybody. There was only one car in the driveway, a black Porsche Cayman that I parked alongside warily. Was anybody home? Was Ashley even there? Would her family recognize me and instantly throw me into a pit of bloodthirsty Dobermans or Rottweilers or...?

Swallowing hard I walked up the front steps, clutching my school bag, and gingerly knocked on the wide wooden front door. Nothing happened. I knocked again, longer and harder, but still nothing stirred. Feeling like an absolute moron I turned on my heel. I was such an idiot, if she wasn't in school what made me think she still wanted to see me—I mean, study with me. What was I thinking anyway? She was a GIRL, and not just any girl, a Davies girl, it'd be social and familial suicide to even consider being anything other than just friends with her. I sat heavily on the front step, cursing everything I'd ever known, when I heard a familiar raspy voice.

"You're still in your school uniform? Seriously?" Ashley asked amusedly as she swung open the door and I stood up abruptly, whirling and feeling wondrously happy for some odd reason, then looking down at my Pinkerton Prep duds. Its not often that Spencer Carlin, the pride of Pinkerton, Ohio, is made to feel like a total dork but as I stood there in her presence I certainly did. Even more so when I looked up to see her sporting a half-shirt that might've once been a band t-shirt in a past life, and an equally mutilated pair of low-rise jeans, along with some black flip flops, her hair messily thrown up in a ponytail type thing. My face burned and it was a wonder that my cheeks didn't just adopt a perma-beet red color with all the times I'd been embarrassed today, and since I'd met her in general.

"Well we are doing schoolwork." I countered airily, holding out my Spanish book and she just rolled her eyes, grinning.

"Come on in, and don't worry, no one's home." She tossed out over her shoulder, beckoning for me to follow her.

"Why weren't you in school today?" I asked as I closed the heavy front door and hurriedly caught up with her, then was forced to slow down again as I took in the sights all around me. She just shrugged and I went back to looking around since she obviously didn't want to answer me. I can tell you that the house was huge, and this is coming from a girl who lives in the Governor's mansion. Everything was paneled in beautiful dark wood and the walls were painted in warm shades of brown and deep purple, expensive looking obscure ornaments decorating almost all of the flat surfaces. The lights were on the dimmest setting, a barely there orangey glow that contrasted nicely against the patches of gray sky sneaking in through the windows.

"Nice place." I whispered and she just looked at me, then bounded up a staircase, leaving me behind.

"My rooms this way." She announced and I ran up the staircase too, only to step into a space that was as far removed from the rest of the house as possible. The walls in Ashley's cavernous room were all dark blue, the names of a bunch of bands I'd never heard of spray-painted in black across them along with lyrics and sayings written in silver sharpie. A king-sized bed lay only on a black frame, so low it barely hovered over the ground. Her sheets were black, and two big puffy zebra print pillows split space with a bunch of little brilliant blue ones. A leather couch and an armchair were sprawled in front of a single huge bay window, a flat screen TV bolted to the wall next to it. I was busy looking around, slack-jawed, when Ash splayed herself out dramatically across the bed, then sighed and patted the spot next to her.

"Am I gonna have to keep telling you what to do for the rest of the day? My note did say to bring your brain. Obviously you didn't read it carefully enough." She said lazily and I snapped out of it.

"Maybe if it had been written in English I would've understood it." I replied, taking a seat at the edge of her bed and extracting my materials. I moved to open my Spanish book and Ashley stopped me by placing a hand over mine.

"...I thought we'd work on the project...after."

A/N: Sorry bout the late update, I'm trying to fall back into the rhythm of writing everyday but its kinda tough. Thoughts?


	14. The Twilight Zone

The Art of War

14: The Twilight Zone

"...after...what?" I squeaked, suddenly finding it hard to breathe and she bounded up.

"After some snackage!" She announced and I released a breath I hadn't realized I'd been holding, then sucked it right back in again as she stood between my legs and looked at me, hands on hips.

"I was kidding." She said in a dark voice, moving to just barely trace my jawline with her fingertips. I leaned away slightly and her grip tightened a hundred fold, taking hold of my chin and forcing me to look up at her. I gotta say I kinda liked the abuse.

"I meant to say...after I take advantage of you." I shivered a little in her grasp, frightened beyond belief and ever so nervous, I don't think I could've moved if I wanted to.

"...r-rreally?" I stammered, struggling to get words out for several reasons, not the least of which being how tightly she held my face in her palm.

"Yeah. Really." She replied and abruptly let go of me. I raised a hand to massage the soon-to-be bruises but she pushed my fingers away, straddling me as she wrapped her hands around my wrists. She kissed me and after a little hesitation I kissed her back. Every time I made to move my hands she put them back down at my sides.

"I said I was taking advantage of you, not the other way around." She announced in a raspy growl against my lips and I relaxed for a moment or two, then put up another protest. Ashley pulled away a little this time, though she still held onto me, and looked into my eyes.

"I _will_ handcuff you Spencer Carlin, just know that." I was obedient after that, not that I didn't want to get handcuffed, but I knew she couldn't be vigilant forever, I'd just out-wait her. Sure enough as our kissing got deeper she got more and more lax in her security measures and when she wasn't paying attention I promptly flipped her onto her back, slamming her wrists down on either side of her head on the soft blankets. I was breathing hard, looking down at her and feeling my heart beat hard and huge in my throat.

"_I'm_ taking advantage of _you_." I whispered shakily, scared and utterly confused as to how someone else could possibly make me feel this way.

"...then do it." She challenged gently, eyes burning into mine in the dark gray light of her room. I swallowed, trying to get my heart back into its proper position in my chest, where it promptly began pounding even harder. Breaking our gaze I looked down, noticing that I was now straddling her, and my Pinkerton Prep issue red plaid skirt had hiked up high on my hips. I looked up again to find that her eyes had been following mine and now ours locked again. Surprisingly she looked a little uncertain and maybe...was that...fear?

"...um...I don't know what I'm doing..." I admitted in a whisper, sliding a rogue lock of my dirty blond hair behind my ear. She was the one to look away this time.

"...maybe we should do our Spanish homework." She announced abruptly, sitting up, and I moved over, wringing my hands in my lap and wondering what I should do. Okay, I know, I'd been dreaming about this moment for weeks now, but thinking and doing were two different things.

"You're all talk, no action Carlin." Ashley said psuedo-lightly, getting up and walking across her room to pick up a tan and white guitar that hung by a strap on her closet door. Currently, I was neither talk nor action seeing as how I couldn't get my vocals chords and/or muscles to work. At all.

"Come on, I need some inspiration." She said and I gingerly got up, following her out of her room and back down the staircase, then through the labyrinth of her kitchen and out a door in the back. I gasped as we exited out onto a high terrace, crumbling and dropping straight down at the edges onto the next step like an earthen waterfall. I peeked over the edge, then instantly got an intense feeling of vertigo and stepped back.

"Whoa." I breathed.

"...I come up here to think sometimes." She said quietly, then brandished the guitar. "And play."

"Hey I've never heard you, are you any good?" I asked absently, taking in the sweeping view and feeling like I was on the top of the world, watching it all fall away beneath me.

"Depends." She replied, looking at me.

"On?" I asked softly, closing my eyes and trying to push away the awkwardness of a few minutes ago, replacing it with the feeling of now.

"Who I'm playing for." With that the first few strums came from the guitar and I stopped moving, just listening. She started in on a bright melody that was almost like a music-box, sprightly and discordant, then slowing it to a warm and mellow sound. It rolled back and forth gently, like her fingers over the strings.

"..._always when we fight, I try to make you laugh until everything's forgotten. I know you hate that._" I slowly slunk to the ground, sitting and looking up at her as she played. Her singing voice was everything I thought it would be, rough around the edges, but still sweet if you listened long enough, and I liked the way it felt against my ears.

"_Always when we fight, I kiss you once or twice, and everything's forgotten. I know you hate that. I'll love you someday soon, the weeks not yet begun, and everything is quiet..._" I smiled before I could stop myself and surprisingly she gave me one in return, picking up the tempo with the guitar and speeding into the chorus.

"_And it was always you and me, alwayyss. Its you and me, we'll always be together. You and me, always, and foreverr."_ As I listened to the rest of the song I felt a peace settle over me, smoothing out all the wrinkles and rough edges of the school year so far, soothing the bruises I had all over. I didn't appreciate it when the song ended and she put the guitar down, then moved to sit down just behind me. I looked back over the edge of the terrace, trying not to stare at her.

I felt like I could see all of Ohio from the edge of that top step, the entire town of Pinkerton reduced to multi-colored squares and dots, suddenly tiny in my vision and in my heart. Ashley's arm snaked around my waist and she pulled me over to sit by her as the sun managed to find a hole in the patchwork of clouds, tinging the whole sky pink and gold from its stolen spot. Twilight fell all around us, soft and sparkling, settling warmly into the dips and curves of our faces.

"_El cielo es realmente hermoso." _Ashley said quietly, taking my hand and holding it like it might break any second. "...and so are you." She added just as the Spanish phrase untangled itself in my head and I inhaled, that damn project...

I looked out over the cliff for another second, then down at the ground, before finally meeting those brown eyes, which swirled with all of the colors in the sky. I meant to mention the project, suggest we get back to it but she leaned forward and kissed me sweetly before I could say anything, so I didn't. I just kissed her back until the air began to cut coldly across us, autumn night drifting in and replacing the day so stealthily I hadn't noticed...or maybe I'd just been too wrapped in Ashley to care...

She pulled away and I felt my heart sink a little until she abruptly kissed the tip of my nose, it was such an unexpected move from the usually venomous brunette that I actually giggled. Her face lit up as she leaned back, a grin stretching from one end to the other.

"You are ridiculously adorable." She stated firmly, then pulled her knees up to her chest and pouted. "Why'd you have to be a Carlin?"

"Why'd you have to be a Davies?" I countered, only half-joking, though I tried my best to keep my tone light. I really didn't want to ruin this moment.

"Sit here and shut up." She ordered as she yanked me into her lap, putting her arms around me and laying her head on my shoulder. I did as I was told, and it was only once it got unbearably chilly did she reluctantly let me go.

"...I should really get home." I announced miserably and she sighed, nodding and turning to lead me back to her room without a word, shouldering the guitar. Grabbing my stuff as slowly as possible I tried to shut off my racing mind, wanting to really live instead of thinking so damn much.

"See you around Carlin." Ash said as we approached my car.

"Ciao." I replied lightly and she just shook her head, waving before being swallowed up by her gigantic house. I just stood there and stared at the front door for a minute, then felt like I was probably being creepy and just hopped in my car. As I sped down the drive and back into the real world I realized one very scary thing. I was falling for her...

_tbc_

_r&r_

_song : "you and me song" the wannadies _


	15. Security

The Art of War

15: Security

Okay, so what should I do? Panic? Run screaming for the hills? I mean, I was officially head over heels, for a GIRL. And not just any girl, a DAVIES girl. Even if I had sat down and actually devoted hours upon hours of thought to it, I don't think I could have come up with a more unsuitable crush. Ashley Davies was the daughter of my mother's worst enemy, she was running against me for Student Body President, and she was the bane of Dean Carlisle's existence. What the hell was I thinking?

I wasn't. And that was the problem.

Ashley was absent again on Friday, and I spent the whole day looking for her in vain, before finally giving up. I think I was starting to accept the fact that she played by her own rules and I wasn't going to hunt her down. If she felt like going somewhere, she'd find her way there. Saturday morning came to me in a blast of sunshine and cool air through my window, slicing across my sheets and face, making me shiver as I pulled my blankets tighter around me. The end of September was fast approaching, and with it would come the election itself. I jolted up in bed as I realized just how close it was. Next week there was the blood drive, then P3, the Presidential debate, and finally the election itself the following Monday. Running a hand through my hair I wondered just what was going to happen. I also had the Spanish project to worry about, the OSCC, college application deadlines were coming up in a couple months...Geez, when did life get so complicated? The last time I checked I was a carefree junior bouncing between practice, homework, and all my extra-curriculars easily. Now everything just seemed so much harder, so much more high-stakes.

And then there was Ashley.

Getting up I jumped into and out of the shower, slipping into a homey pair of sweats and a tank top before padding downstairs for some breakfast.

"Morning honey." Dad greeted from behind the sports section of the morning paper as I took a seat at the dining room table, where my brothers had failed to show up yet and which had food spread out in all directions. Every weekend mom had Pierre cook up these extravagant meals, a reward for us making it through the week mostly on Dad's concoctions. I reached for the fruit bowl and grabbed some grapes, then sat there in the brightness and chomped on them absently.

"Hey Dad, how come Mom and Mr. Davies hate each other so much?" I asked after a few minutes. He didn't answer me for a while, and I could practically see his brain figuring out how to respond.

"Let's just say that you and Ashley have a lot in common with your mother and Mr. Davies." He finally said with a chuckle, getting up and folding his newspaper back into shape as Mom appeared, dragging Clay and Glen behind her. I stared at him for a second, my heart caught in my throat. Did Mom and Raife Davies like, hook-up or something?! Dad just gave me an amused look and started setting up everyone's plates.

"Now, who wants bacon?" He asked.

"**NEW MESSAGE!" **My laptop blipped from its position next to my head and I rolled over to look at it, not really focusing on my Calculus assignment anyway. It was early evening and I was lounging around in my room, the day having slipped by in a blur of homework and more practicing. If we didn't win OSCC I was seriously going to have a heart attack, with all this work I was putting in.

**PuertoPrincess: hey spence, what're you doin?**

abercrombiegurl: hi madison, nm jc. trying to finish my hw.

**PuertoPrincess: its 7:00 on a saturday night hunny. get a life. lol. **

abercrombiegurl: really? and what are you doing thats so exciting?

**PuertoPrincess: me, shan, and jordy are thinking we should crash davies "concert". you in?**

I stopped breathing.

abercrombiegurl: holy. fuck.

**PuertoPrincess: don't tell me you forgot about it lmao.**

abercrombiegurl: g2g. ttyl!

**PuertoPrincess: wait! what time should we pick you up?**

abercrombiegurl: i'll meet you guys there!

--abercrombiegurl signed off at (7:05:49 p.m.)--

I jumped off my bed with no regard for my math homework, which went flying everywhere, and I'm pretty sure my laptop geronimoed off my bed, but I definitely didn't care at that moment. Running into my closet I yanked a hoodie on and pulled on some sneakers, then went crashing into Glen's room.

"What the hell?" He asked as I swooped in breathlessly.

"Do you k-know where Red's Bar and Tavern is?!" I blurted and he looked at me like I had five heads, putting down his Wii controller.

"Yeah, its kind of hard to find though. Why do you need to go there?" He asked, quirking an eyebrow.

"Just tell me where it is!" I demanded and he got up.

"Come on, I'll drive you, you don't really want to go in there without backup."

"Okay." I managed, my lungs threatening to explode from lack of proper oxygen consumption.

"Going to the movies!" Glen shouted at no one in particular as we bounded down the stairs, and Clay poked his head out of his room.

"Can I come?" He asked and I shook my head.

"Sorry! We're gonna miss it if we don't leave now." I yelled back, jumping out the door and into Glen's black Mustang. I'd make it up to my brother later, like after I saved Ashley from the nefarious meddlings of my cheerleading coach. Glen must've picked up on my energy as he hightailed it out of the driveway, roaring down the tiny private street we lived on.

I worried at my perfectly manicured fingernails the whole time, staring hard at the horizon as if Red's would pop up just because I willed it to. Had she gotten there already? Was the stage already set up for disaster? And more importantly, what the hell would I do about it if it was? I could tell her of course, but would she still be mad? Why was I so dumb? How could I have forgotten?

"You know if any of Mom's staff catches us around here we're dead right?" Glen announced as he glided into what would be considered the seedier side of town, if Pinkerton even had one.

"Don't get caught then." I replied, instinctively turning around to see if a dark blue Ford Explorer full of Mom's cronies was following us, (it wouldn't be the first time).

"You gonna tell me why we're here?" He continued, pulling into a back alley that eventually opened up into a dingy parking lot, a dark brown brick building sitting heavily at the end of it.

"You gonna tell me why you know how to get here?" I asked, reaching for the door handle as he slid into a parking spot.

"Touche." He replied with a smile and didn't say another word as we hustled inside. It was only about 7:30 but there was definitely a good amount of people present. Throwing my hood on I looked around the room from under its soft creases, seeing most if not all of GSA present, as well as some freshman and sophomores I sort of recognized (as much as you could recognize a freshman or sophomore.). A group of seniors were hanging out by the door and I saw that ninety percent of them were part of my crew, all staring towards the stage with smirks on their faces. I swallowed and followed their gazes. Ash and her band were on stage, fiddling with their instruments and otherwise doing pre-show band-y things.

I resumed breathing normally as I noticed that Ash looked unperturbed as she tested her mic and played a quick riff that reverberated through the cramped tavern at a good volume. I grinned involuntarily and turned around to find Glen when I noticed the bright pink blight on my consciousness sitting at the end of the bar, having a lively conversation with a wizened old man I could only assume was Red. My hands balled up into fists at my sides as Coach Lewis's huge curls bobbed up and down in the motions of close conversation and I contemplated just walking up to her and telling her to scram but I knew that would land me a first-class ticket to therapy and a lengthy interrogation by Mom as to my mental state. Fuck! I looked around again and my eyes landed on the big clock ticking away near one of the exit signs. 7:45. Damn! Where the hell had fifteen minutes gone?! My gaze swung back toward the stage where the band had disappeared and a projector screen was being put up by some non-nondescript geeks and I continued my string of silent curses. Taking a deep breath I finally just headed for the backstage area, determined to find Ashley and warn her just in case.

"Where are you going?" Glen whispered, popping out of nowhere and grabbing hold of my arm just as I reached the area.

"Just going to wish the bands good luck." I replied sweetly and he gave me a look that let me know my brother knew me better than I thought he did.

"Uh huh. I'll be right here if you need me." He said, folding his arms and taking a firm position near the backstage entrance. "Oh and Spence?"

"Yeah?" I asked, heading for the curtain.

"Try not to get kidnapped or anything alright? I like my car." I just nodded, then abruptly gave him a quick Carlin fist-pound and vanished into the darkness.

Dust spiraled up to meet me as I stepped into the labyrinth-like assortment of rooms and channels behind the curtain, and it reminded me a lot of the backstage of the Pinkerton Prep auditorium.

"You guys ready to do this thing?" I froze in my tracks as a familiar raspy voice floated towards me and I looked up to see Ashley in the center of a large-ish group of people. My staring lasted only until she transferred her gaze from the ground to a shorter brunette girl in front of her and I dived behind a heavy black curtain that was just barely hanging from its hooks.

"Kyla you're on right after us okay? Then Ty you can go, and it doesn't really matter after that just as long as we close the show." The gaggle of bodies dressed up and bearing guitars and drum sticks murmured an assessment, then I heard Ash take a deep breath.

"Okay, hands joined and eyes closed then. We got this guys." I stood stock still from my position behind the curtain as her voice drifted through, holding me captive.

"Dear Big Guy, let us proceed to rock out and not break anything that can't be replaced, entertain these assholes, make lots of money, and get me back to the misses in one piece. Amen." I felt a cold wave crash over me as I realized that I knew that prayer from somewhere, I just didn't remember where until the group broke apart with a very loud declaration of "Fuck punks! Tonight we rock!" I'd caught the opening clip of a Raife Davies performance on Vh1 Classic once, and it was the exact same mantra he repeated before every show. Wow, she really was her father's daughter...

Feeling saddened for some odd reason I waited until the voices stopped and the sound of Ashley heading on stage could be heard, then slipped out of my hiding place and started for the bar again only to stop yet again as a loud piercing flatline emanated through the entire tavern.

"Fuck!" I heard softly, then much louder, "Um...we're experiencing technical difficulties! Just gimme a minute." Gunning for the exit I burst from the curtain just as Ashley was re-entering and we ran right into each other, both hitting the ground hard.

"Ow! What the--" She started, then stopped dead as she saw that it was me, her face shifting between expressions like a human slot machine before finally settling on PISSED.

"You better have a damn good excuse for being back here Carlin." She hissed, though I could see that her eyes were bright with too much water. Uh oh. Oh shit. Dammit.

"It's, i-it's not what it looks like!" I blabbered. "I came here to warn you!"

"What's going on?" A high voice asked from behind Ashley and the shorter brunette she'd been talking to popped up in front of me, then just shook her head.

"Spencer Carlin, I should've known." Kyla Davies announced before I could get another word in edgewise and a burly security guard instantaneously picked me up. I swung my legs and arms to no avail, being held up by someone who was at least twice my height and weight.

"Wait! Listen to me!" I shouted. The body guard threw me out anyway and I immediately turned to run after Ashley only to have my way blocked by three more. Nearly crying now I swung and punched the wall next to the backstage entrance, mad and hurt and utterly confused.

"Well hey there Spencer dear, came to watch the show?" Coach Lewis asked, laying a slick hand on my shoulder and I rounded on her.

"You." I breathed and was about to thoroughly cuss her out when another flatline sliced through the air as the sound came back on. I shut my mouth and just shoved her arm off of me, yanking Glen toward the exit as the tears started hot and fast. I could hear my posse wondering aloud as to my whereabouts as I raced by but just continued toward the car.

"Drive me home." I ordered, pulling my hoodie down over my face as far as it would go and he obeyed silently.

_tbc_

_r&r_

_a/n: sorry bout the long break, fourth of july had me b-u-s-y and it was only downhill for my schedule from there. Im back though! Thoughts on the chapter?_


	16. Family Feud

**The Art of War**

16: Family Feud

Glen wisely kept his mouth shut on the drive back home, sneaking glances at me when he supposed I wasn't paying attention only to get a shiny death glare in return. When we got back home I went in through the back door and raced up the stairs to my room, shutting the door and locking it before flopping across my bed and pulling a pillow across my face.

"FUCK!!" I screamed into it just as the waterworks started up with a vengeance and pretty soon it was soaked. Fuckety fuck fuck. Mothereffer. Damn it all to H-E-double hockey sticks! There was no coming back from this, Ashley was going to hate me forever. And Kyla had been there too. Now she would never think of me as anything else but a scheming Carlin. And it wasn't even my fault! I was trying to be a good person, trying to save her concert even though I could've chosen not to do anything at all.

Of course she'd never believe me if I ever got the chance to talk to her again…

I just wanted to rip Coach Lewis's head off her shoulders by her 80's style teased and tossed moussed up 'do. No, that wasn't it. I wanted to poke holes in her huge oversized silicone cans and watch her ricochet around the room as the air released, sending her crashing through a window and into a pack of rabid rival cheerleaders. In my head I went through a million different scenarios, all of them ending with her in some sort of extraordinary physical pain, until I remembered one very simple fact.

I was captain of the cheerleading squad. _Her_ cheerleading squad.

My sobbing came to an abrupt end as I realized that the OSCC was coming up right after elections. The Ohio State Cheerleading Championship competition was what we had been working for since sophomore year, what better way to get back at her? A plan forming in my mind I slowly lowered the pillow, rolling over to stare at the DVD laying innocently on my night stand, ready to be practiced at a moments notice. Or not.

My lip quickly found itself between my teeth as for a split second I imagined the faces on the rest of the squad if I went through with this, especially Madison's. Then I saw the expression on Ash's when I'd run into her behind that curtain and red hot anger flooded me all over again. I had to get Coach Lewis back, if it was the last thing I did. With vengeance assured I instantly went back to crying, frustration leaking out in big fat droplets to run down my neck. My misery was short lived though as Mom's sharp knock came from my door and I was forced to jolt up and run into the bathroom for a warp-speed clean up, calling "Be there in a minute!" over my shoulder.

My fingers were trembling as I washed my face and switched out my hoodie for a more acceptable long sleeved shirt, then rapidly brushed my hair and attempted to apply foundation without turning out like a Lohan. As I skidded back to my bedroom door I grabbed the wet pillow and tossed it in my closet, the last thing I needed right now was a fake mother/daughter heart to heart about the pressures of running for political office.

"May I help you?" I asked cheerfully as I pulled my door open to find my mother positively glowering back at me from the hallway. Uh oh.

"Be presentable and be downstairs by 8:00 tomorrow morning, it appears we're having some guests over for Sunday services and brunch." She announced curtly, then turned and started for Glen's room, her stomping echoing off the walls. Oh. So that was it. Mom absolutely detested surprises of any kind, and unexpected guests were at the top of her list. She preferred to plan such things weeks in advance, and not having time to handpick which flowers would go best with the menu always set her off. Quietly closing my door I wondered for a second who had the balls to piss the Governor off with less than 24 hours notice of a visit, then reminded myself that it didn't really matter anyway. I'd just sit there quietly, play my part as dutiful daughter, and pray Mom wouldn't mention my own Presidential bid. My heart thumped painfully in my chest as I thought of the race, wishing I'd never even entered it.

Turning back for my bed I was about to resume my wallowing when another knock came and I swung it back open, irritation etched all over my features. Glen and Clay both stood there. They looked at me, then back at each other, then grabbed me by each arm and started dragging me toward the rec room.

"Let me go!!" I squealed, intent on reminiscing about Ashley-Gate for the rest of the night.

"Rock Band Party." Glen said stoutly and I slowly stopped protesting. An RBP was one of the codenames for Carlin Sibling Pow Wow. We'd turn the game up as high as it would go, then discuss the serious matters that called for such a meeting over Highway Star.

"Okay," Glen declared, dumping me unceremoniously in the middle of the floor and earning himself a look of loathing. "Moms on a rampage, you're sneaking off to dive bars and getting kicked out by security, and you," He rounded on Clay now. "have been sneaking out every night for the past two weeks. I'm the oldest, so I call the shots around here. Anybody wanna tell me what's going on?" He tapped his foot impatiently as Clay and I both looked each other, more than a little surprised. He'd been sneaking out? My straight-A, early decision Harvard going bro had been leaving every night? How had I not noticed? Then in a blast of embarrassment and shame I realized that I'd been so wrapped up in the campaign that I hadn't noticed much of anything that had to do with my family lately. My cheeks blazing I looked down at the floor.

"Uh…well, you see, there's this girl…" Clay babbled then, forcing a wobbly smile to come to me at the sight of my one articulate sibling struggling to form a sentence. The smile lived on for a moment longer at the stern look on Glen's face, he looked so much like Dad it was scary, before dying out completely.

"You coulda told me that, I thought you were turning into a junkie or something."

"Sorry." Clay replied sheepishly and Glen quickly refocused his attention on me, eyes narrowed. He opened his mouth to say something but I beat him to it, already guessing what was on his mind.

"Coach Lewis was trying to ruin the concert, I was just trying to warn Davies." I said thickly, a lump rising in my throat.

"Since when do you play fair Spence?" He asked suspiciously and I flinched. It wasn't like I didn't deserve that after all the scheming I'd done throughout the years at Pinkerton Prep, but it still stung a little. I sat up straighter and cleared my throat, trying to sound at least a little bit dignified when I was on the verge of tears, again.

"If you must know, I'm changing my tactics. I'd like to win fair and square." Clay grinned and gave me a high five while Glen just shrugged.

"About this breakfast thing tomorrow," He started in a low voice, gaze flickering to the door and back as he took a seat and completed our little circle.

"Do you know who's coming?" Clay whispered and Glen shook his head.

"No but I think for a little while it would be a good idea for you and Spence to just lay low on whatever the hell you're doing. If we screw up just once…" He stopped here to draw his hand slowly across his neck and we all got the point.

"We're almost free. In a couple of months I'll be at UConn, you'll be at Harvard, and Spence you'll be wherever you're going. We can make it." Glen jabbed his fist out in front of him gravely.

"Pound on it. No messing up." Clay and I looked at each other, both of us clearly addled by love, our inheritance the last thing on either of our minds. My brothers fist tremulously came up and I had no choice but to put mine up as well.

"Carlin." We all said in unison.

That night I dreamt of her. It wasn't my usual fantasy, or even a happy couple together in the future dream. In it I stood in a sea of people, desperately looking for her, pushing them out of my way left and right. Somehow I knew she was on the other side of the human ocean but it seemed like for every person I got through another two appeared to fill the gap until I was suffocating, drowning in the bodies…

"ASHLEY!" I gasped, waking up with a start, sweaty and disorientated. My heart was going a mile a minute as my door was suddenly opened and the bright light of the hallway poured in, blinding me. Had someone heard me? Was my mother coming to grab me at this very moment and send me off to gay camp?

"Its 6:30 Spencer, up and at em. You know how your mother gets." Dad announced cheerfully, then padded down the hall to wake my brothers. Struggling for air I watched him come and go, then collapsed back onto my bed, running my fingers through my hair. Maybe the campaign was actually getting to me…

I got out of bed a few minutes later, not wanting to inspire Mom's wrath this early in the morning and remembering my pledge to Glen with a pang. Would I really have to give her up completely? Not that she would ever want me again anyway…

Sighing I showered and dressed on auto-pilot, pulling on a Sunday activities approved outfit of a blue cable knit sweater and grey wool skirt, black tights and loafers completing my transformation into Mom's mini-me.

When I got downstairs at 7:50 a.m. on the dot I took a seat in the living room along with Glen and Clay, who were both silent. We sat there in the piercing fall sunshine that was spilling all over the couch without saying a word, just listening to Mom flit around, yelling at assistants and attempting to perfect our lives. She and Dad took a seat at 8 on the nose, her foot tapping non-stop for exactly six minutes and 27 seconds (yes, I counted) until a light knock came at the door and they both jumped up to open it.

Voices emanated from the foyer, the usual overly bright tones of a politician floating into the living room to greet us before Mom and Dad came back, ushering in a family of three and I blinked. I recognized the older man instantly. Liam Dennison had been Mom's Democratic rival in the gubernatorial race for Ohio. His super liberal views had earned him a huge cult following, enough to win the primary by a landside. So Mom had dug up every skeleton in his closet that she could get her hands on, creating on of the most volatile races in Ohio's history and he ended up losing badly. He was just too different, much too soon.

Two tall, gorgeous teenagers followed in after the beaten Senator, a boy and a girl. They both had dark hair, the boys fluffy and short, his sisters long and slightly wavy at the ends, their bright green eyes standing out spectacularly against athletic looking tans.

"Liam, you remember I told you I have three don't you? This is Spencer," Mom chirped, dragging me up to shake his hand and the man in question grinned, showing a crooked front tooth, which him the look of a naughty six year old. His eyes sparkled merrily and I instantly felt a traitorous liking to him.

"Hello Spencer, nice to finally meet you in person, I've heard so many good things," He shook my hand warmly with both of his before turning to his son. "This is Aiden," The boy smiled a straighter version of his father's smile that I tried to return. "And Dana." The girl waved and I noticed the multi-colored bracelet around her wrist, remembering with a jolt that Mom had been the one who had leaked the story to the press. Liam Dennison's daughter was gay.

A strangled "Hi" was all I could manage but the adults didn't seem to notice as they continued on with the introductions. Then I took in the murderous look on Glen's face and facts I had once deemed not important enough to take note of slowly came bubbling back up to the surface. Aiden and Dana both went to Akron Academy if I remembered right, and were therefore our scholastic arch-rivals. They had beaten us last year in the basketball championship, and had taken the last OSCC.

"Let's sit down to coffee shall we? The cars should be here shortly." Mom declared happily and the three of us, me, Glen, and Clay, caught each others eyes as we took our seats, the same thought on our minds.

"Carlin."

_sorry bout the break_

_thanks for all who inspired me to continue with this story_


	17. Fire and Brimstone

**The Art of War**

17: Fire & Brimstone

While my brothers and I had secretly pledged to stay together, it seemed like Mom had decided on the divide and conquer approach last night instead. Our place settings in the tea room had Glen sitting beside Aiden, with Dana on his other side, and me next to her. On the other side of the table Clay, Senator Dennison, and Dad sat, with Mom playing the gracious bustling hostess. I wondered if I was the only person who felt the tension in the room, it seemed like it as I watched Dad and Senator Dennison heartily discuss the Browns chances this season, then I noticed the stiff set of Aiden's jaw as he sipped lightly at a cup of imported Spanish coffee, and the vein that had appeared in Glen's forehead. If it weren't for the Botox I knew there would've been an identical one throbbing away on Mom's, and Clay hadn't said a single word yet, and he was known as the friendly Carlin. Looking down I poured more sugar into my own coffee as Dana held a cup of tea delicately between her hands, regarding the swirling contents as if they had some important message within their depths. I wondered how she dealt with it. From Mom's gloating last year I knew she'd been kicked off Akron's cheerleading squad, and the girl's basketball team. Her father had threatened a lawsuit against the school, at least according to the newspapers, but for some reason it had never gone through.

My musings were interrupted by the Governor's motorcade pulling up to the house just then and us kids got up without a word, following our parents out to the Cadillac's. The bodyguards got us in quickly, keeping the photographers and journalists at bay, but I would much rather have faced them than the uncomfortable ride this was sure to be. With no radio on and Clay riding in the grown-ups car the silence continued to stretch over the four of us like a rubber band as the motorcade crawled along. How long could it possibly go before it snapped?

"Beautiful day isn't it?" The driver commented and all he got were nods from me and Dana and grunts from Glen and Aiden. At his announcement I stared out the window, seeing Ash's smile in the sunlit flowers opening up shyly all along the road, hearing her voice in the silky rumble of the Caddie's engine…My gaze wandered up to the forget-me-not blue sky above us and I watched two puffy little oblong clouds that could've been the missing pieces to a heart being lightly tossed around by the wind. I hoped they'd catch the same breeze and connect, so they could travel the atmosphere together instead of floating around alone…

"Looks like we're here." He chirped a few minutes later, pulling up in front of the huge white mega-church in the center of town. Still spaced out, I bumped into Dana on my way out of the car and her cell phone leapt out of her hand like a bar of soap, rocketing toward the pavement. Out of politeness and habit I dove for it at the same time that she did, both our hands closing around the Sidekick, and we hit the ground tangled up together.

"Sorry!" I blurted just as she said the same thing and we both let go of the phone. It clattered to the sidewalk again and this time I just sat there as she picked it up, face burning. Everyone else had passed us by now except for two bodyguards, who impatiently walked over and helped us up, and by helped I mean grabbed me by the forearm and yanked me vertical. Dana looked mutinous until her gaze landed on my face, her expression softening instantly into a smile.

"Don't worry about it. No harm done." She said softly, tucking the phone quickly back into its case, but not fast enough. I saw that the screen had cracked clear across the middle and a few of the buttons had popped off.

"I'm. So. Sorry." I declared miserably, horrifying images of my own precious iPhone falling to its death flashing in my mind. Sure I abused it sometimes, but if I ever broke it, I'd probably have a heart attack. I was so attached to it. And the time it would take for a new phone to clear all the security checks…I shuddered at the thought.

"Really Spencer its okay." She said soothingly, rubbing my shoulder and I felt a small shock run through me. I was paralyzed for a minute before stammering,

"I'll g-get you a new one. P-Promise," then stepping away from her like she was on fire and nearly running into the church. My heart was already hammering before I stepped inside, but it thudded a million times harder as I took in the scene occurring about halfway down the long blue-carpeted aisle that split the church in half. Not believing my eyes I walked quickly down it, closely followed by Dana, who I'm sure was looking at me like I was crazy. For a second I thought I was as I looked over at Pew 25. There Aiden and my brothers sat next to Kyla and none other than Ashley. My Mom and Dad were the ones still standing in the aisle, silently facing off with Raife Davies and his wife. Well, Mom was staring them down, Dad just stood there in 'support-mode'. Senator Dennison was standing slightly between the arch-enemies and I shook my head, wondering if the man had a death wish. He turned his grown-up kindergartner smile on me as soon as I reached what I was sure would be a murder site in a few minutes time, pointing toward the pew.

"Ah, there you are girls. If you'll just have a seat." He gently ordered and I opened my mouth to reply but was foiled by Dana lightly taking my arm and steering me in the direction her father had indicated. That same jolt went through me, a slightly duller version of Ashley's electricity. My mind of the verge of exploding I took the seat next to Dana, who had chosen the free one on Ashley's other side. She didn't even look at me. I wasn't nearly that strong, so to keep from staring at her I watched the theatrics unfolding in the aisle. Senator Dennison appeared to be trying to negotiate some sort of church service peace treaty between Mom and Mr. Davies, who were arguing about as calmly as you could expect them to. Mom didn't want Mr. Davies in her pew, _our _pew, but he was taking the tried and true "I don't see your name on it" tack.

We had arrived early, as usual, so it was obvious Mr. Davies had gone out of his way to get here and take the seats before we did. The few other worshippers who had entered the church already we all craning their necks and twisting around in their seats, this was prime-time television.

"I'm a public authority Davies, I can have you removed for posing a security threat." Ashley and her father scoffed at precisely the same moment.

"_I'm _a security threat? And how exactly am I a security threat?" He asked, spreading his arms innocently. His voice was dry and cracked, the voice of a retired singer and full-time smoker, but I could still hear notes of his daughters dark timbre dancing in the background. At his words a few of Mom's bodyguards stepped menacingly forward, only to be matched by Mr. Davies own security guys.

"Paula, Mr. Davies, I'm sure we can reach a resolution on this. There are more than enough seats for everyone." Senator Dennison pointed out, now putting himself completely between them.

"Is your dad insane?!" I hissed and Dana's lips twitched at the corners.

"Not entirely, he's skilled in the art of diplomacy." She replied amusedly and I wondered if she had any idea how deep the Carlin/Davies feud ran.

"This is past the point of diplomacy, this is full on war." I announced. No one in their right mind messed with Mom. And no one messed with Mom and her church time. It was her favorite place in the whole world, and I had a feeling that Raife Davies was going to suffer for this intrusion. Dana took in the serious set of my face and merely smiled at me, which made my stomach flip-flop unpleasantly.

"We're in a church, I'm sure they'll behave themselves." And sure enough as more and more people started to pour in my Mom conceded, not wanting to cause a scene she seated herself and forced two bodyguards to take the seats between her and the Davies. People stared curiously, especially at Mr. Davies, whose peroxide blonde hair was spiked up into a million little spears, and Mrs. Davies, who wore a black mini-skirt and stilettos. I could nearly see the anger that was coming from her in hot rolling waves as the pastor entered and the lights were turned up, the bibles whipped out and the choir put in place. She was already seeing the lost percentage points in her head and I knew this was just the beginning. Then my heart sank straight into my shoes as I realized that for me and Ashley this had to be the end.

I didn't hear one word of the entire sermon, didn't once flip my bible from the page I had opened it to at the beginning of the service. My heart didn't move from its position at the bottom of my loafers, and every step I took crushed it further and further until I was sure there was nothing but dust left there. Then the service was over and when we got up to leave I caught her dark brown eyes for just a moment. They flickered brightly, looking wet and shiny, which inspired the dust to come back together and tenderly beat life into me for a few seconds until she frowned and ran out the door with her family. Looking down I shuffled painfully out after my own siblings, trying to hold the tears back. Somehow someway we ended up back at my house around the breakfast table but the sparkly platters of fruit may as well have been plastic for the way they tasted to me. I was a zombie all throughout brunch and as we went our separate ways, the adults to the office to talk politics, and Glen, Clay, and Aiden to a forced NBA Live Xbox tournament, I stayed at the table. I hoped Dana would get up and leave too so I could mourn Ashley Davies in peace, but instead she calmly looked out the window, her chin propped up on the heel of her palm.

"I'm sorry." I croaked eventually and she turned to look at me, tilting her head slightly.

"What for?"

"…I'm not being a very good host am I?" I replied miserably, knowing Mom would kill me for this once the staff got around to telling her.

"Its fine." I shook my head quickly, trying to shake the dark thoughts building up inside.

"Its not. I should be showing you around or something." Dana looked toward the window again, then stood up.

"Let's go for a walk in the garden." She suggested and despite feeling the exact opposite of the brightness outside I complied, if only to avoid getting the third degree later.

Everything glittered as my footsteps led us to the fountain placed at garden's entrance, the stone sparkling like a million tiny little stars had been set into it. Even the water leaping from an overturned vase held by a delicate fairy burned in the sunlight, a constant stream of liquid fire. I squinted, heading for the shade provided by an arcing rainbow of flowers a few feet away. Once I could see I turned to Dana, who was cradling a tiger lily in her palms as if it would fly away any second.

"It came off." She said sheepishly when she noticed me staring, and pointed at the spot in the flower arch that was indeed missing a bud.

"Oh." I replied, feeling a wave of sadness wash over me at the lone lily. Jamming my hands in the pocket of my sweater I started walking, glaring at the cobble-stoned ground.

"Hey, what's wrong?" Dana asked softly, following me. I looked up and her bracelet was the first thing that caught my eye. She knew what it was like, to feel this way about someone else even when the world tells you you shouldn't.

"Boy trouble?" She asked semi-playfully and I made a face, shaking my head. Then I whirled and kicked an innocent rose bush, getting a loafer-full of thorns for my efforts.

"Ow." I mumbled, angrily attempting to brush them off.

"…girl trouble?" Dana whispered, brows furrowed and I bit my lip to keep from crying. She correctly interpreted the look on my face and her green eyes widened.

"You can't tell anyone!" I pleaded desperately and she instantly promised she wouldn't.

"You can trust me…I know what happens…when…" She trailed off and my misery intensified, knowing it wasn't my fault but still feeling at least partway responsible. She was my mom, I could've said something, tried to convince her not to do it…

"…wanna talk about it?" Dana asked quietly and I shook my head. No way. It hurt far too much right now. She gave me an understanding smile and reached into her pocket, pulling out a card.

"Look, here's my number. If you ever do wanna talk just call or text." I took it gratefully, knowing a mental breakdown would probably be imminent if I didn't do so soon.

"So...what's your favorite band?" She asked and the rest of the walk stayed safely on normal teen things. When we'd made it to the heart of the garden a bodyguard came to retrieve Dana and I walked back up to the house with her to say goodbye to the Dennisons, then went right back into the prison of petals alone and needing to think. Nestled deep inside of it was a tiny courtyard and this was where I took a seat under my favorite tree, the noon sun heating me despite the September temperature. Closing my eyes, I leaned back against a stone wall and kicked my loafers off, letting my heart venture shyly out. If I could never have Ashley…if we could never be together…then could I ever be with anyone else…?

"Pssst!!" A familiar voice came from above my head and I started violently, leaping up and looking around manically.

"W-who's there?!" I demanded.

"Up here!" I looked up and very nearly fainted when I saw her, sitting casually in a tree as if it was the most perfectly normal place to be.

"ASHLEY?!" I yelled and she put a finger to her lips.

"Shut up or they'll think you're being kidnapped or something!" My mouth snapped shut and she climbed neatly down, jumping the last few feet and landing right in front of me.

"I forgive you…for the concert thing. I know you're a dirty scheming Carlin but I'm pathetic and I forgive you." She blabbered and my hands balled up into fists at my sides even as my heart soared back up into its rightful slot.

"It wasn't me! It was Coach Lewis!! I was trying to warn you about it!" I yelled again and she blinked.

"…really? How do I know you're not lying?" She asked, placing her hands on her for once modestly dressed hips. I made an exasperated noise, pinching the bridge of my nose only to have my fingertips greeted by water.

"SheknowsRedandshewasgonnahavehimmesswiththeequipmentand-" I sobbed and Ashley shushed me gently, pulling me to her and hugging the living daylights out of me.

"I'm sorry." She whispered, though I could hear the relief flooding her voice. "I should've known…that much silicone can't be good for the human body, it must've gone to her brain. Evil bitch." I nodded my agreement against Ashley's shoulder but couldn't stop crying despite my best efforts.

"…you're getting my Sunday best all wet Spence." She said after a couple more minutes of my blubbering and I forced myself to pull away, wiping my eyes with my sleeve and sniffling uncontrollably.

"You're about to make a rock star cry." She whispered and I looked up to find that she really was on the verge of tears.

"S-sorry." She smiled weakly and leaned forward to kiss me.

"I'm in love with you Spencer Carlin."

_tbc_

_r&r_


	18. The Real World

**The Art of War**

18: The Real World

"…Spencer?" Ashley asked, pausing for a moment before reaching out to shake me. "Spencer. Baby you're turning blue." Oh. Right.

"I love you more." I finally squeaked, the sudden intake of badly needed oxygen making me almost as dizzy as the realization that the perfect, beautiful girl in front of me loved me. It couldn't be possible. She could have anyone she wanted, guy, girl, celebrity, and yet here she was, hands still on my shoulders, chocolate brown eyes dancing in the sunlight as a huge grin spread across her face.

"Nuh uhh." She replied, then abruptly hugged me so tightly I couldn't breathe again. My arms wound around her neck and my mouth crashed into hers as I kissed her hard.

"I love you." Ash repeated fiercely against my lips, cupping my face in her hands and forcing me to look at her. The little breath I had left caught in my lungs, destroying any reply I could've made. She pressed her forehead against mine for a moment, the world stopping along with my heartbeat. The wind whistled to a halt, and all of the flowers paused in their swaying, to watch me and Ashley in complete silence. It all swirled back into life when she leaned in to kiss me again, this time gentle, patient, slow…

We stood there for a long time, just tangled up in each other, until I was fairly certain that it wasn't the afternoon sun heating me.

"Break time." I panted and Ash pouted but let me go, failing to contain the smile that played across her face as she looked me up and down. Placing one hand on her hip she used her free one to torture me, running her slim fingers down my cheek, across my throat--

"So, uh," I started in too high a voice, capturing her mischievous hand in mine and holding it firmly still. "How'd you get in anyway?" Now her face darkened and she jerked a thumb over at the tall gates surrounding the estate.

"You should probably look into better security, all it took was a couple 20's and a bottle of Jack to get past those losers." I nodded, making a mental note to tell Mom later, like when I got back to the real world. For now I just twirled happily, keeping her hand in mine and starting back for the garden.

"Where we goin'?" Ash asked, moving to stand right behind me and slinging an arm around my waist.

"It's a surprise." I replied. I knew I couldn't exactly waltz a Davies up to my room, but I was pretty sure Mom would be locked in her office for the rest of the day. If she was locked in her office, then she wouldn't be prowling the grounds with an army of aides and advisors. And that meant I was free to waltz said Davies through the twisting, turning paths of the garden and into heathenistic escape known as the pool house.

Something soft tickled the back of my neck as I led her up the crumbling stone steps and up to the plain wooden door to the pool house, which had been fashioned after an old school style bungalow. I turned around to find the sunlight pushed away from us by the low hanging porch, deflected like a force field, and in the newfound shadow Ashley stood holding onto a single red rose. Smiling, I shyly reached for it only to have her draw it away from me, sliding the stem into her mouth before I could react and waggling her eyebrows.

"I'm finking of becoming the next Tuxedo Mask. What do you fink?" She asked, voice partially muffled by the flower as she attempted to give me her best sleazy/sexy look. I just laughed and she removed the rose, twirling it expertly between her fingers before lightly running the delicate petals down my nose and across my lips.

"Hmm, I wonder what your mom would say if she knew I was fucking her daughter in her own backyard." Ash mused aloud, continuing the rose's downward path, and my heart jumped into my throat just as all of the blood rushed out of my brain. I was silent for a while, not able to think of anything to say since my head was no longer functioning, and Ash grinned devilishly.

"Well what are you waiting for? I want the grand tour." She announced. I spun so fast that I tripped over my feet and got a face-first reintroduction to the pool house. BANG!

"Oww." I whispered, mortified, as I peeled myself off the door and Ash was quick to look me over.

"Aww pobrecita, you've got a scratch right here." She lightly kissed a spot on my cheek that was currently stinging like the dickens and I let out a string of nearly inaudible curses. Giggling she stared at me in disbelief, then bit down on her bottom lip slowly.

"Bet I can get you to talk like that in bed." She challenged and I opened my mouth to reply when I heard a barely-there voice from behind the door.

"Clay? Did you hear that?" The person, a girl from what I could tell, sounded terrified and when my brother answered two seconds later it was in the same panicked whisper.

"What was it? What did you hear?" Ashley and I looked at each other and she quickly tossed the rose into a nearby bush, gliding to my side as I pressed my ear up to the door, invisible to anyone who might abruptly open it. I heard the shuffling of feet against the untreated wooden floor of the bungalow, then a light brush against the door and my brows furrowed. From the complete silence that followed I realized that Clay or whoever had been talking to him had their own ear pressed up against the door from the inside. Going through my options in my head only two solutions came to me, either I could let them know I was there and expose my relationship with Ashley, or we could try to sneak off back down the stairs and into the garden again.

My brother cleared his throat.

"Who is it?" He half-heartedly demanded and his tone made my grip tighten on the doorknob. He was scared, and I had to fight against my sibby-sense that told me to barge right in there because something was very wrong. Clay faced 20-page history papers and 4 hour long exams on a weekly basis, he played basketball with Glen and always lived to tell the tale, and he'd never once missed a day of school in his entire high school career. Whatever it was that he was hiding in there, it was bad…very bad. I still didn't move. I was the Carlin with the best connections, the good girl who could get anything she wanted, and I was definitely most likely to be able to help him out a jam, but fear held me in place. Ashley, to her credit, hadn't yet made a sound, so I decided to wait it out.

"…is anyone there?" He repeated weakly and my insides turned over again.

"Clay? It's me. Spencer. Open Up." I declared in my future President voice after a second and there was a huge sigh as the doorknob twisted. I raised a hand to wave as the door opened an inch or so but was interrupted by it slamming shut again.

"What are you doing?!" The girl hissed.

"We can trust her." My heart swelled a bit at that and I patiently waited for Clay to convince whoever she was that I wasn't the enemy. Chancing a glance over at Ash I found her white-faced and shaking her head.

"It's okay." I mouthed. Her face fell.

"What if he tells your mom?" She murmured and I unconsciously reached out to take her hand in both of mine, stroking it soothingly. He'd be shocked, maybe even disgusted, but I knew my brother and he wouldn't tell Mom on me no matter what it was.

"It'll all be okay." I whispered, hoping against hope that I was right.

"Come in. Hurry up." Clay said breathlessly, opening the door and ushering me and Ashley in before he got a good look at us.

"Wait aren't you--"

"Ashley Davies, yeah that's me." She answered his question for him and gave him a look that clearly told him not to ask any more of them.

The first thing I did was hug my bewildered bro, then promptly looked around the tiny bungalow kitchen.

"…Where is she?"

"Uh…l-living room." He choked out, cutting Ash off to walk directly on my heels as I turned for said room. The two small windows in the space had been opened slightly, and light snuck in from under the sill to illuminate the room up to the feet of the wicker couch, where the girl in question sat. I couldn't help but stare blatantly. She was very pretty, but definitely looked ill. Her kinky curly hair stood up in all directions, failing to pay any mind to the pony tail it was supposed to be in, and her dark almond shaped eyes were too bright. She had to have been crying. A light blue blanket that I recognized from Clay's room was draped around her shoulders and wrapped completely around her so that all I could see besides her face and neck were her beat-up Chuck Taylors.

"Chelsea this is my sister, Spencer." She tried to smile as Clay let out a yelp. "Ow! And Ashley Davies." He added, rubbing his arm.

"Hi." I greeted gently as Ash grinned and waved. How she could still manage to be adorably charming in this situation was anybody's guess.

"Sooo, how far along are you?" Ashley asked and my mouth fell open. I whirled, meaning to scold her for saying something so mean, but Chelsea's sob beat me to it.

"A-almost four m-months."

"WHAT?!" I yelled, feeling like a heavyweight wrestler had punched me in the gut. Then I noticed the perfectly round little bump just barely poking the blanket forward and I gaped fish out of water style.

"Clay…what…how long…when did…what?" I tried to form a sentence but words totally escaped me.

"I just found out a couple weeks ago." He replied miserably and Chelsea only cried harder.

"Ah…wow…this just…wow." I sank onto the opposite side of the couch and Ashley quickly took my arm to steady me, I could see why when I spotted my shaking hand in hers. After a few more attempts at English I looked at my brother and could think of only one thing to say.

"Glen's gonna be so pissed." I groaned. Then, as if on cue, the tall blond head of my oldest brother appeared at the rooms entrance. In one hand he held a bottle of clear, ominous looking liquid with a bright red cap that proclaimed something 'proof' in little white letters and definitely had nothing to do with math, and in the other, the ass of the co-captain of my cheerleading squad.

Somewhere up above us all I was sure someone was having a great laugh.

We all just looked at each other for a long time, I sat stock still on the couch, with only Ashley having had the common sense to let go of my hand, while Clay stood beside his sobbing pregnant girlfriend and Glen and Madison blinked. Finally the silence was broken by all of us at once.

"Glen?!"

"Spence? Clay?"

"Davies??"

"Bitch."

"What the…?"

The chaos died as soon as it started, and I grabbed the bottle out of Glen's hand, yanked the cap off, and took a giant swig. I regretted it two seconds later as I was overcome by a coughing fit, feeling like I'd swallowed thinned out lava, and Ash's lips twitched amusedly.

"Take it easy _mami_." Madison announced and some of the tension slipped out of the room as I handed the death substance back to her.

"Isn't t-that what you're s-supposed to d-do at t-times like these?" I choked out. Ashley reached out to rub my back, and that seemed to bring everyone spinning back into reality.

"What are you doing here anyway Davies?" Glen asked, folding his arms against his chest and glaring at her. She stretched, her shirt slipping up a few inches to reveal the flat bronze planes of her stomach, and I didn't get it until I took in the look on Glen's face.

"Just came to hang out with Spencer. We're secret bff's." She said simply and my brother just nodded blankly. The lava started pounding through my veins instead of my throat and I could tell Madison was having the same reaction. In fact she barely even paused to stare at me before declaring coldly,

"He's taken," And grabbing Glen's arm and digging her nails into it. He winced and all I could think was that it served him right.

"Don't worry. He's not my type." Madison's eyes narrowed dangerously at Ashley's smug look before venturing curiously over to Chelsea. Her eyes widened even as Chelsea loosened the blanket desperately, trying and failed to hide the baby bump.

"_Dios mio! _Is she _pregnant_?!" Madison screeched and Glen had the exact same reaction that I had a few minutes earlier, except with an added dose of "this can't be happening" mixed with barely controlled rage. I knew in his head he was watching his brand new Range Rover being stripped away from him and handed over to our cousin Adam, or Uncle Jerry, or anyone other than him.

"Today never happened." I blurted when Glen's hands balled into fists, his head falling heavily into his lap as he sank into an armchair.

"Now hold up--" Madison started but Glen interrupted her by nodding fiercely, still looking at his knees.

"Agreed." Clay said, then Chelsea made a pathetic noise and all of us except Glen rushed over to her. She was ashen-faced and shivering even though beads of sweat had broken out all across her forehead.

"How long has it been since you've seen a doctor?" Madison asked, shoving the rest of us out of the way and kneeling in front of Chelsea. Clay, Ashley, and I shared a look, then went right back to being observers as my usually flighty, always shallow pseudo-best-friend went to work.

In less than ten minutes time we were all perched anxiously at the foot of the only bed in the pool house, Madison having forced Chelsea to lay down before propping the poor girls swollen feet up and gotten a cool hand towel over her forehead.

"You," She said, pointing at Clay, who was staring at Chelsea with a horrified expression on his face. "Hello?" Snapping her fingers in front of his face she snapped him out of it long enough to hand him the small thermometer she'd found in the first aid kit in the medicine cabinet.

"Its 99.9 right now. If her fever doesn't break by tonight or if it gets higher you're gonna have to take her to the hospital alright?" Clay gulped audibly and I heard a cap come off somewhere from the living room. Chelsea tried to reach out for his hand and Madison instantly rounded on her.

"Why can't you go home _miha_?" She asked bluntly.

"…my parents…" Chelsea managed and I immediately felt for her, knowing what kind of hell on earth/instant dismemberment I'd face if I were in the same situation.

"Hey Maternity Barbie, you might wanna check in on your boy toy or he's gonna need a hospital too." Ashley pointed out and we all craned our necks around the door frame in time to watch Glen chug almost half the bottle. Madison swore in Spanish and ran off to tend to him, leaving us to sit on the floor in the little room with our sick patient.

_to be continued…_

_read & review please & thx_


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